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☆ CNN chief Mark Thompson announces sweeping overhaul of news network, cuts 100 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Mark Thompson, the CNN chief executive appointed last year to modernize the news network, unveiled a set of sweeping changes to the iconic outlet Wednesday, announcing plans to build a billion-dollar digital business, experiment with artificial intelligence and overhaul key newsroom structures. Mark Thompson officially started on October 9 as CNN's chief executive and chairman and will also act as the network's editor-in-chief. Thompson, who is widely credited for revitalizing The Times, was appointed CNN chief executive last summer, after Licht’s tumultuous run in the job. Since then, Thompson has spoken consistently about the need to transform CNN’s business but has largely avoided offering specifics. Whether Thompson can successfully create a billion-dollar digital news business at CNN remains to be seen.

Persons: Mark Thompson, Thompson, ”, Art Streiber, ” Thompson, “, CNN Max, Max, Ted Turner, CNN’s, Charlie Moore, “ Anderson Cooper, Jeff Zucker, Chris Licht, Zucker, Licht Organizations: CNN, Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery, Inc, Warner Bros ., The New York Times, The Times Locations: CNN’s Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles

☆ Patience wears thin at ABC News as frustrated staffers wonder when Disney will make leadership changes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After the meeting concluded, a person familiar with the situation told CNN that Godwin was simply at a prescheduled doctor’s appointment. Regardless, the rampant speculation her absence spurred spoke to the apprehension of staffers, who are thirsty for change and whose patience is wearing thin. Bob Iger is known to pay special attention to ABC News and OConnell wouldn’t have been appointed had Disney brass not felt it necessary. “She knew it was bad, but I don’t think she knew how bad it was,” a network insider told CNN. It’s now up to OConnell to dig ABC News out of the ditch and infuse it with its old swagger.

Persons: Kim Godwin, Godwin, Debra OConnell, Greg Doherty, Bob Iger, OConnell, Akin, Chris Licht’s, It’s Organizations: New York CNN, ABC, CNN, Disney, ABC News Locations: New York, Burbank

☆ CNN’s new chief faces a crucial test on several fronts that will define the network’s future
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Discovery chief executive could have waited to appoint a singular leader of CNN after firing his former hand-picked network boss Chris Licht. By appointing a new chief executive and chairman, he’s taking an inherent risk as the 2024 presidential cycle heats up. Under former network boss Jeff Zucker, staffers never questioned what CNN’s mission statement was. It will be illuminating to hear more from Thompson on this matter, given he will also be responsible for CNN’s editorial. During his decades in media, Thompson earned a reputation for being a confident executive with thick skin who masterfully executes a vision, all while maintaining the support of the troops.

Persons: CNN —, Mark Thompson, Thompson, we’ve, ” Thompson, “, ►, Bob Iger, ” ► It’s, David Zaslav, Chris Licht, —, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling, David Leavy —, Zaslav, he’s, Jeff Zucker, Donald Trump, ► Licht, Licht, Zucker, Chris Cuomo, Don Lemon, nosediving, Licht’s, ” ►, Trump, They’ve Organizations: CNN, CNN — It’s, The New York Times, BBC, Times, Warner Bros . Discovery, MSNBC Locations: Hudson Yards

Mr. Thompson, 66, joins the network with more experience running a sprawling news organization than Mr. Licht, a former morning and late-night show producer. Mr. Thompson started as a trainee at the BBC in 1979 and ascended to the position of director general, the broadcaster’s top position, in 2004. He joined the Times Company as its chief executive in 2012, and was among a group of executives who revitalized the company financially by greatly expanding its digital subscription business. When Mr. Thompson took over at the Times Company, a subscriber-only paywall for the paper’s website was still in its infancy. “I just thought we weren’t doing it well enough,” he said.

Persons: Licht’s, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling —, David Leavy, Zaslav, Thompson, Licht, ” Organizations: CNN, BBC, Times Company

Mark Thompson, a former chief executive of The New York Times and leader of the BBC, is expected to be named the next top executive of CNN, according to three people with knowledge of the decision. Some senior executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, have already been informed of the decision to hire Mr. Thompson, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because some executives at CNN hadn’t yet been informed of the decision. Mr. Thompson and a spokesman for Warner Bros. Ratings have plummeted, profits have slumped, and the network is still reeling from Chris Licht’s tenure as chief executive, which was terminated in June amid sagging staff morale.

Persons: Mark Thompson, Thompson, Chris Licht’s, Licht’s, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling —, David Leavy, David Zaslav Organizations: The New York Times, CNN, Warner Bros, Discovery, Warner Bros .

☆ The future of CNN is coming into view as the network regains its footing following a rocky period
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —CNN’s future is coming into greater focus. Last week, CNN announced a sweeping overhaul of its lineup, establishing its all-important prime time roster while also making several other key programming moves. And on Thursday, the outlet announced the launch of CNN Max, a new service that represents the beginning of a streaming future for the channel following the abrupt shuttering of the nascent CNN+. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there continues to be an active search for the next leader of CNN, following Licht’s dismissal. And while CNN Max might not be the luxurious streaming lifeboat that CNN+ might have been, it is a lifeboat — and some form of a vessel is better than none at all.

Persons: CNN —, Chris Licht, CNN Max, Mark Thompson, Thompson, CNN Max doesn’t, I’ve, WBD, —, CNN’s Organizations: CNN, The New York Times, Warner Bros, Discovery

It is unclear how far along the talks are with Mr. Thompson and the other candidates. Mr. Thompson declined to comment. Semafor earlier reported CNN’s interest in Mr. Thompson. Since Mr. Licht’s departure, CNN has been run by four people, three of whom — Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling — are CNN veterans. The fourth, the CNN chief operating officer David Leavy, has been a longtime lieutenant to Mr. Zaslav, and was appointed shortly before Mr. Licht’s dismissal.

Persons: Mark Thompson, Thompson, David Zaslav, Chris Licht, Semafor, Licht’s, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling —, David Leavy, Zaslav Organizations: The New York Times, CNN, Warner Bros, Mr, Discovery

☆ A bolder CNN is emerging after the ouster of former network chief Chris Licht
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The post-Chris Licht era at CNN is taking shape. Viewers saw the most visible change on Monday when CNN updated the network’s on-screen banners that Licht had implemented in the final days before his departure. While the former network chief sought to tone down the volume, the emerging iteration of CNN is reporting the news in a bolder, unbridled way. To be clear, CNN has not reverted entirely back to the style of journalism that it practiced under former network chief Jeff Zucker. And the new programs that Licht introduced into the lineup, such as “CNN News Central,” remain in place, for now.

Persons: Chris Licht, Licht, I’m, Jeff Zucker, Donald Trump’s, it’s Organizations: CNN, CNN News Central Locations: Florida, Russia

☆ CNN staffers breathe sigh of relief after dismissal of embattled network chief. Now they wonder, what’s next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN staffers don’t want the organization to be known for and consumed by a never-ending soap opera starring the C-suite. With Chris Licht’s dismissal as chairman and chief executive of CNN on Wednesday morning, staffers are aiming to get back to that mission. In recent months, David Zaslav, chief executive of CNN parent Warner Bros. The piece, in which Alberta spoke to more than 100 CNN employees, called into question Licht’s ability to lead the organization moving forward. Will the next network chief be an improvement over Licht?

Persons: don’t, Chris Licht’s, Jeff Zucker, Licht, David Zaslav, Zaslav’s, David Leavy, Tim Alberta, Zaslav, —, “, ”, ” Zaslav, “ It’s, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling, WBD Organizations: CNN, Employees, Warner Bros, Hudson, New Locations: Alberta, New York

☆ Does CNN’s Turmoil Mean There’s No Room on Cable for Independent News?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Jim Rutenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the end, Mr. Licht’s attempt appeared to satisfy no one. In fact, Mr. Licht’s short tenure does not provide an easy answer. But it did illuminate just how hard it can be to find success where Mr. Licht was sent looking. And, several current and former CNN staff members said, that clear notion was precisely what was lacking under Mr. Licht and his boss, Mr. Zaslav, whose direction he was following. The definition was shaped more by what they did not want — all that had come before them under Mr. Licht’s predecessor, Jeff Zucker — than what they did want.

Persons: Licht’s, Licht, ” —, Zaslav, Donald J, Trump, . Licht, Jeff Zucker — Organizations: Cable, Republican, CNN

☆ Top CNN Anchors Criticize CEO Chris Licht’s Leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Isabella Simonetti | Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, 447a4f8e Organizations: cnn

☆ CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht is out after a brief and tumultuous tenure
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Chris Licht, the embattled chief executive and chairman of CNN, whose brief one-year tenure at the network was stained by a series of severe missteps, departed the company on Wednesday. “I met with Chris and he will be leaving CNN,” David Zaslav, the chief executive of parent company Warner Bros. But it became increasingly clear that Licht’s tenure as the chief executive was not tenable and quickly coming to an end. The CNN chief had, in effect, lost the room. Hundreds of CNN employees were laid off in late November and early December.

Persons: Chris Licht, “, Chris, ” David Zaslav, Jeff Zucker, Stephen Colbert ”, Kevin Mazur, Tim Alberta, Licht, David Leavy, Zaslav, ”, ” Zaslav, “ It’s, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, Eric Sherling, Joe ”, Licht’s, Zucker, Brian Stelter, Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow, Kaitlan Collins, Lemon, Donald Trump, Christiane Amanpour Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Warner Bros, CNN Worldwide, Discovery, CBS, Columbia Journalism School, Licht Locations: New York, CNN’s Hudson, Alberta

☆ David Zaslav Picked Chris Licht to Revamp CNN. Now What?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Through a spokesman, Mr. Zaslav declined to comment. That represents a significant departure from his previous approach: Mr. Licht was appointed by Mr. Zaslav personally, without talking to any other candidates except Mr. Licht, according to two people with knowledge of his selection. He has engineered a series of audacious mergers that have catapulted him to the highest echelons of the media industry. Discovery and CNN have been the topic of occasional speculation in the media industry as potential acquisition targets. But Mr. Zaslav told employees emphatically in a town hall last year that the company and its divisions were not for sale.

Persons: Zaslav, Licht’s, Licht Organizations: CNN, Discovery, Scripps Networks Interactive, Warner Bros . Discovery

☆ Chris Licht Is Out at CNN, Ending a Brief and Chaotic Run
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( John Koblin | Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Chris Licht, the former television producer who oversaw a brief and chaotic run as the chairman of CNN, is out at the network. David Zaslav, the chief executive of CNN’s parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, informed staff on Wednesday morning that he had met with Mr. Licht and that he was leaving, effective immediately. Mr. Licht’s 13-month run at CNN was marked by one controversy after another. “For a number of reasons things didn’t work out, and that’s unfortunate,” Mr. Zaslav said, according to a recording of his remarks.

Persons: Chris Licht, David Zaslav, Licht, Licht’s, Mr, Zaslav, “ It’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, Discovery

☆ Embattled CNN chief apologizes to staff after embarrassing profile, vows to ‘fight like hell’ to win back trust
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Chris Licht started CNN’s daily network editorial meeting on Monday by directly addressing the elephant in the room. “I want to say that I’ve spent the weekend doing a lot of thinking,” Licht told staffers, many of whom had dialed into the meeting specifically to hear from their embattled chief executive. Employees had not heard from Licht since The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta on Friday published a blistering 15,000-word profile on him. He said that he would “fight like hell” to win over the trust of the 3,500-person news organization he leads. In the immediate future, I’m told, Leavy is counseling Licht and CNN leadership’s primary goal is to stabilize the ship.

Persons: Chris Licht, I’ve, ” Licht, Licht, Tim Alberta, Donald Trump, ”, They’ve, David Leavy, David Zaslav, Zaslav, I’m, wouldn’t, WBD, Leavy Organizations: CNN, Employees, Hudson, Warner Bros, “, North Star

☆ Could Jeff Zucker Fix CNN? He Seems to Think So.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The complaint wasn’t unusual for Mr. Zucker, 58. He often compares notes on the media business with former colleagues and industry acquaintances, many of whom call him to grouse about the current state of CNN. Mr. Zucker’s criticism may be painful for executives running CNN to hear second- and thirdhand. Last month, CNN hosted a town hall with Mr. Trump in New Hampshire that was criticized for airing false information. Many anchors Mr. Zucker hired or promoted, including Jake Tapper, and Kaitlan Collins, who moderated the town hall, are still in prominent spots in CNN’s lineup.

Persons: Zucker, Chris Licht, Donald J, Trump, Jake Tapper, Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN, Nielsen Locations: New Hampshire

Follow for live updates on the Trump CNN town hall meeting. Those objections intensified on Tuesday after Mr. Trump was found liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of the writer E. Jean Carroll. And foes of Mr. Trump will cringe at seeing him on air at all. He is backed by David Zaslav, the Warner chief executive, who has batted away objections to Wednesday’s Trump town hall. There is the awkward fact that Mr. Trump still has a pending $475 million defamation lawsuit against the network.

☆ Starwood CEO Barry Sternlicht’s New Hotel Brand Bets on Outdoor Recreation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Craig Karmin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Field & Stream Lodge hotels, such as the one depicted in this rendering, are planned around national parks and other scenic destinations. Real-estate investor and hotelier Barry Sternlicht , known for sleek, design-oriented lodging brands like W Hotels and the Baccarat Hotel, is launching a new hotel chain to celebrate the great outdoors. Field & Stream Lodge Co. will operate hotels around national parks, woods, ski mountains, lakes and desert land across the U.S. It is aimed at families and outdoor enthusiasts, Mr. Sternlicht said. His real-estate firm sold the outdoor-recreation retailer of the same name in 2014 but retained the company’s lodging rights.

☆ CNN announces revamped daytime lineup with new show format
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —CNN on Wednesday announced a revamped dayside programming lineup that the network said will employ a new format for shows to deliver the news to viewers. Instead, the spokesperson explained, they will be moving around and utilizing the full square footage of the network’s various studios. As a result of the programming changes, “CNN Newsroom” anchors Victor Blackwell and Alisyn Camerota will transition to new roles. CNN didn’t say specifically when the new schedule will go into effect, but the network said it will happen sometime in the coming months. The CNN chief, however, is still searching for a 9 p.m. host since anchor Chris Cuomo was fired in 2021.

☆ CNN employees brace for layoffs after network chief warns of ‘unsettling’ changes ahead
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —“Unsettling.”That’s the sort of news CNN staffers had delivered to their inboxes at 1pm ET on Wednesday when network boss Chris Licht candidly informed them that sweeping changes are imminent. In other words, brace for layoffs by the end of the year. Licht, who has been conducting a business review of CNN for six months, said in a memo that he had identified areas where changes will be made. Licht’s memo came hours after CNBC’s Alex Sherman published a deep-dive examining the future of CNN. Licht said in his memo that he aims to have the changes implemented by end of year so that 2023 can start on a strong foot.

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