NEW YORK -- Chris Licht, most recently Stephen Colbert's top producer at CBS, was appointed Monday as the new head of CNN, where he's expected to take over in May.Licht's expected appointment to replace Jeff Zucker as chief of CNN was widely reported over the weekend. Before moving into late-night TV, Licht was the chief executive behind the “CBS This Morning" news program and “Morning Joe” on MSNBC.The appointment was made by David Zaslav, Discovery CEO, who is expected to take over the merged company when Discovery's acquisition of CNN parent WarnerMedia is approved this spring.Zaslav called Licht a “dynamic and creative producer, an engaging and thoughtful journalist, and a true news person.”He said Licht is “a highly principled individual who is trusted, hard-working and makes every organization stronger, more innovative and more cohesive.”Zucker was forced out earlier this month, after admitting that he had violated corporate rules by not revealing his romantic relationship with a CNN marketing executive, Allison Gollust.
Jeff Zucker’s CNN Ousting: Why Workplace Equity Matters
10.02.2022 - 22:50 / variety.com
Claudia Eller Co-Editor-in-ChiefHow could Jeff Zucker let himself self-destruct like that?It’s now been reported extensively just how many of his loyalists at CNN are outraged that WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar abruptly forced the charismatic leader out of his post last week for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with his “closest colleague,” chief marketing officer Allison Gollust. After all, his supporters argue, this was a consensual relationship between two single adults, so therefore what was the actual harm? True enough, but unfortunately the harm done was done by Zucker himself, and it ultimately led to his undoing at CNN when an enemy seized an opportunity to bring him down over it.
Media outlets are speculating whether there might have been extenuating circumstances that have yet to surface publicly. In any case, I would submit that Zucker’s defenders might think about directing some of their rancor and disappointment at the man himself, who you think would have known better than thinking he could get away with not disclosing a romantic relationship with an underling and ignoring company policy in the era when power dynamics and equity in the workplace are now paramount.
Naturally, if Zucker and Gollust had been equals at CNN — like Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski at MSNBC — this would never have come to pass. Or, if Zucker had been transparent, this might have ended differently.
And there are some who are questioning why WarnerMedia didn’t address earlier what had been an open secret inside and out- side CNN for so long.“Zucker was always a unique executive, and he made his exit in a singularly unique fashion,” our senior TV editor Brian Steinberg tells me when I call to discuss the situation. “He
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Chris Licht Named Chairman and CEO of Discovery’s CNN Global
Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCNN will have a new chief for a new chapter.Chris Licht, a veteran producer who has overseen programs like MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and CBS’ “CBS This Morning” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” was named chairman and chief executive of CNN Global — a new name for the news operation once its parent, WarnerMedia, is acquired by Discovery. Licht will report directly to David Zaslav, who will be CEO of the combined company.Discovery is expected to take control of WarnerMedia sometime in mid-April, depending on a shareholder vote, among other conditions.The prospect of a new owner and a new top executive has spurred speculation about what new programming and operating direction may be in store for the venerable cable-news outlet, which has been under scrutiny since WarnerMedia ousted former president Jeff Zucker after he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with Allison Gollust, CNN’s former chief marketing officer.
Streaming Has Supersized TV Episodes, But How Long Is Too Long?
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeTwo decades ago, then-NBC executive Jeff Zucker made headlines by “supersizing” “Friends” episodes as a monthlong stunt. But in the streaming era, viewers are frequently caught off guard by run times that vary considerably from one episode to another.Freed from the need to fill a half-hour (actually, 21 minutes with commercials) or an hourlong (e.g., 44 minutes plus ads) time slot in linear TV, producers are allowing their shows to breathe — and let the story dictate how long or short an episode can be.Netflix’s new Shonda Rhimes drama “Inventing Anna,” for instance, is an hour long … sometimes.
How CNN Reckoned With Covering Its Own Jeff Zucker Scandal
Claudia Eller Co-Editor-in-ChiefI’ve always wondered what it’s like for journalists at news organizations to have to cover their own outlets when they become the news.The most recent case is CNN reporting on the shocking story that its beloved leader of nine years, Jeff Zucker, abruptly resigned Feb. 2 over failure to disclose a consensual romantic relationship with his close lieutenant Allison Gollust.
CNN probe complete, yet mysteries on Cuomo, Zucker remain
investigation into circumstances surrounding the firing of anchor Chris Cuomo and ouster of network chief Jeff Zucker. But for a news organization, it has chosen to leave questions unanswered.The internal report, commissioned in September and prepared by the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, will not be made public, WarnerMedia said on Wednesday.WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar told CNN employees late Tuesday that the report had been finished over the weekend.
Katie Couric Insists Many Ignored ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ At CNN After Jeff Zucker Resigns
UPDATE 2/15/2022: Allison Gollust is stepping down from her position as Chief Marketing Officer for CNN, the network announced on Feb. 15. Jason Kilar, the CEO of the network’s parent company WarnerMedia, made the announcement of Allison’s resignation in a memo to the staff.
Second CNN executive exits in wake of internal Cuomo inquiry
investigation concerning ex-anchor Chris Cuomo and his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to a memo from Jason Kilar, CEO of CNN parent WarnerMedia.“The investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo," Kilar said in the memo.WarnerMedia confirmed the memo and echoed it in a statement.
CNN Marketing Boss Allison Gollust Exits After WarnerMedia Probe; She Claims Company “Attempt To Retaliate Against Me”
UPDATED, with Allison Gollust comment: Less than two weeks after Jeff Zucker resigned from CNN, the cable newser’s chief marketing exec Allison Gollust is out too.
Allison Gollust Resigns From CNN Following WarnerMedia Investigation
CNN's chief marketing officer, has resigned from the network following a WarnerMedia investigation into «issues associated with Chris Cuomo and former Governor Andrew Cuomo.»WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar announced Gollust's resignation in a memo to CNN staffers Tuesday, following the completion of the company's «comprehensive and definitive» investigation, which WarnerMedia says was performed by «a third-party law firm and led by a former federal judge.»«Based on interviews of more than 40 individuals and a review of over 100,000 texts and emails, the investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN's News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo,» Kilar said in the memo.«We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN, and those rules must apply to everyone equally,» he continued.Gollust responded to the statement with one of her own, calling WarnerMedia's statement an attempt to retaliate against her following CNN president, Jeff Zucker's resignation just weeks prior.«WarnerMedia's statement tonight is an attempt to retaliate against me and change the media narrative in the wake of their disastrous handling of the last two weeks,» Gollust said.«It is deeply disappointing that after spending the past nine years defending and upholding CNN's highest standards of journalistic integrity, I would be treated this way as I leave,» Gollust added.
Allison Gollust Has Resigned From CNN Following WarnerMedia Probe of Cuomo, Zucker
Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAllison Gollust, the chief marketing officer at CNN, has resigned from the network following a WarnerMedia investigation into “issues associated with Chris Cuomo and former Governor Andrew Cuomo,” according to a memo from Jason Kilar, the company’s CEO.“Performed by a third-party law firm and led by a former federal judge, the investigation was comprehensive and definitive. It was commissioned in September and concluded this weekend, which now allows me to share additional information with you,” Kilar said.
Chris Cuomo Is Reportedly Seeking A $60 Million Settlement From CNN Amid Jeff Zucker's Resignation
Chris Cuomo is reportedly seeking more money from CNN than what’s left on his contract.
CNN Anchors Grill WarnerMedia CEO on Jeff Zucker, But He Won’t Serve Them New Information
Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAs CNN’s many journalists tried to get past the ouster of Jeff Zucker, they ran up against one of their biggest professional hurdles: a source who refuses to talk.Some of WarnerMedia’s best-known on-air personalities pressed the company’s CEO Jason Kilar again and again on Monday, asking him to divulge more details around why Zucker resigned after acknowledging a personal relationship with Allison Gollust, CNN’s chief marketing officer. But Kilar would not.The WarnerMedia chief faced questions from Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota, Brian Stelter, Jim Sciutto, Bill Weir, Richard Quest, John Avlon and Victor Blackwell, as well as longtime producer Jim Murphy, many of them pressing him for more information about whether the parent company felt Zucker was given a harsher punishment than was necessary; about whether WarnerMedia was negotiating with Chris Cuomo, fired by Zucker last year, over severance; and whether the looming merger of WarnerMedia with Discovery forced his hand when it came to deciding what to do about the now former CNN chief.
CNN’s Don Lemon Gives Tearful Jeff Zucker Eulogy To Open His Show
CNN anchor Don Lemon offered an emotional tribute to former boss Jeff Zucker to open his Friday show.
Bill Maher Talks About ‘The View’ And CNN’s Jeff Zucker, Calls For Questioning Covid-19 Authority
You are allowed to disagree, Bill Maher argued during his Friday Real Time on HBO. And he brought up two instances of news this week from the world of television to underline his point.
AT&T’s John Stankey And Discovery’s David Zaslav Avoid Talking Details Of Jeff Zucker’s Exit: “Unfortunate Set Of Circumstances”
AT&T CEO John Stankey and Discovery CEO David Zaslav generally sidestepped questions about the exit of CNN boss Jeff Zucker amid dismay among the cable network’s on air talent and staffers over how the situation was handled.
After Jeff Zucker’s Exit, CNN Staffers Grow Skeptical of WarnerMedia, Discovery
Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCNN staffers who spend a lot of time delivering the latest headlines may have something else to give their corporate overseers: a raised middle finger.Executives who run companies like WarnerMedia and Discovery spend much of their time these days trying to keep investors enthused about their prospects, even as the consumers who watch their movies and TV shows keep moving away to new streaming venues. Now they may have to take up some of their hours soothing a roiled staff at CNN, where many employees remain furious about the ouster of Jeff Zucker, the company’s president for the past nine years.
Katie Couric Speaks Out After Jeff Zucker Resigns, Claims Many Ignored 'Inappropriate Behavior'
Katie Couric is commenting on now-former CNN president Jeff Zucker resigning from his position at the network on Wednesday, after he failed to disclose a consensual relationship with chief marketing officer Allison Gollust.Couric worked under Zucker when he was executive producer of the show on NBC in the early 2000s, as well as on her 2012 daytime talk show,, which ended in 2014. Gollust had also previously worked as 's senior publicist.
Katie Couric Insists Many Ignored ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ At CNN After Jeff Zucker Resigns
Katie Couric is speaking out after her former producer, Jeff Zucker, resigned as the president of CNN Worldwide. Zucker, who held the position for nine years, announced he was stepping down on Wednesday (January 2) for not disclosing his relationship with CNN colleague, Allison Gollust. The next day, Couric shared a statement through Katie Couric Media, saying many in the industry “turned a blind eye to inappropriate behavior” between the Zucker and Gollust.
Katie Couric Responds To Jeff Zucker’s Resignation As President Of CNN, Accuses People Of Turning ‘A Blind Eye To Inappropriate Behaviour’
Katie Couric is speaking about Jeff Zucker’s resignation as president of CNN Worldwide.
Jeff Zucker’s Ouster: The Probe, The Relationship, The Lawyer’s Letter & The Phone Call That Led To CNN CEO’s Shocking Exit
Jeff Zucker’s surprise resignation from CNN on Wednesday quickly triggered puzzled questions over just what led to his ouster after revelations of his relationship with Allison Gollust, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for CNN Worldwide.