Fox News is struggling after they fired Tucker Carlson.
But CNN continues to have much bigger problems.
And now CNN’s employees are officially in panic mode after this top executive abandoned the sinking ship.
CNN CEO Chris Licht is leaving the network after just over one year at the helm.
CNN’s meltdown
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav joined CNN’s morning editorial call to announce that Licht is leaving his role as CEO.
CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez then proceeded to tweet out the news.
David Zaslav just got on our morning call and said Chris Licht is out
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) June 7, 2023
And according to Puck News, Licht is slated to be replaced by CNN executive Amy Entelis, who previously served with former CNN President Jeff Zucker.
BREAKING: Embattled CNN chief Chris Licht will be leaving the company, sources tell @DylanByers, and long-time top executive Amy Entelis will step in to steady the ship until Warner Bros. Discovery C.E.O. David Zaslav picks a new leader. https://t.co/qE5tUuy5OQ
— Puck (@PuckNews) June 7, 2023
Licht’s reported ousting comes just days after The Atlantic published an article entitled “Inside The Meltdown At CNN,” which provided details into alleged tensions between staffers since Licht took over the network last April.
The article detailed alleged inside accounts of the ongoing problems with Licht’s leadership of the beleaguered network.
Licht reportedly apologized to his staff during their editorial meeting before confirming he would remain as CEO of CNN.
“I know these past few days have been very hard for this group,” Licht reportedly told his staff, according to a Twitter thread from disgraced former CNN anchor Brian Stelter.
“I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org,” Licht reportedly said. “And for that, I am sorry,”
Not the first, and probably not the last
Of course, Licht’s firing is not the first high profile dismissal at CNN.
In just the past year, CNN has axed more than 100 staffers, including some high profile hosts and correspondents.
Among those axed were Stelter, Don Lemon, Chris Cillizza, Alison Kosik, Alex Field, Martin Savidge, and Robin Meade.
These firings all occurred under Licht, who made serious cuts to try and save money at a network that has seen better days.
Now, it seems as though Licht’s management style was just too much for Warner Bros. Discovery’s top executives to deal with.
When Licht took over as CEO of the network in May 2022, he said he did not anticipate any layoffs, but his story had changed by October when the bloodbath began.
The once proud cable news giant also last year scrapped all of HLN’s live programming, which included firing popular host Robin Meade, who had been with the network for more than 21 years.
While Licht’s departure was unexpected, it does show the continued chaos at a network that is desperately attempting to claw its way back up the ratings.
In May, CNN once again finished third behind Fox News and MSNBC, and only slightly ahead of conservative outlet Newsmax, which came in at fourth place.
New CNN CEO Amy Entelis has a rough road ahead as she tries to turn things around at the network.
US Political Daily will keep you updated on any developments to this ongoing story.
