They have two sons together. During Tuesdays call, Licht also announced another high-profile hire from CBS News, telling staff that Dr. Tara Narula would be joining as a medical correspondent for the network. But cable news, along with all cable channels, has been in secular decline, troubled by shifting viewer habits in an era of cord cutting and an exodus to streaming services and online news sites. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Newsrooms everywhere are struggling with it.. If anything, he wants to really focus more on news than opinion. But prior to then he had a distinguished career in journalism, working as a correspondent for CBS News and an anchor for ABC News, where he famously landed a rare interview with Osama Bin Laden in 1998. Newhouse School", "Chris Licht has been selected as next president of CNN", "Chris Licht, Executive Producer Of 'CBS This Morning,' To Discuss Network Morning News", "CBS Hopes for a Stephen Colbert Bump From a New Leader at 'The Late Show', "How Stephen Colbert Finally Found His Elusive Groove", "Stephen Colbert gets a bump after new producer takes the reins", "Jeff Zucker's Successor Is Chris Licht", "Chris Licht, a Creator of 'Morning Joe' and 'Colbert' Producer, Is Set to Run CNN", "Chris Licht introduces himself to CNN as its next CEO", "The Chris Licht Era at CNN Starts Today", "CNN cutting back on over-hyping everything as "breaking news", "CNN management intent on changing perception of the network", "CBS Nominated for 44 News & Documentary Emmy Awards", "Near-death experience teaches TV producer how to live", "Joe Biden goes into action for TV producer battling a brain hemorrhage", "Q&A: TV Exec Chris Licht on His Near-Death Experience", Licht on 'Cuse Conversations Podcast in 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Licht&oldid=1139542884, Television producers from New York (state), S.I. Chris Licht, the producer who created "Morning Joe," revamped "CBS This Morning" and revitalized "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," has been selected to run CNN once Discovery merges with . They had gone through a number of PR crises, so going wall-to-wall with Ukraine was something both left and right could rally around. In 2018, CNNs New York headquarters had to be evacuated after a bomb threat. They obviously like each other, he said. Which proves my point: so much of what passes for news is name-calling, half-truths and desperation.. The age-old media industry questionhow to cover presidential candidate Donald Trumphas become more complicated. Mr. Zaslav ignored the demurral. Mr. Licht said he doesnt recall Mr. Zaslav ever offering him the job, or his accepting it. During the 2016 electionand even afterZucker was often dismissive of critics who said CNN, more than its cable rivals, gave Trump outsized attention. Her last day at KGW-TV was on March 11, 2022. But the network has pushed back on suggestions that Licht was specifically trying to curry favor with. Many more millions would be needed. The American Way Versus the Politicians Way. (2001), Listen toVFsLittle Gold MenPodcast for Unrivaled Awards-Season Coverage. He is said to prefer the more specific Trumps lie or lies about the election. CNNs ratings declined, on average, this year compared with 2021, according to Nielsen, with CNN falling behind MSNBC for the first time in prime time on election night among total viewers. Trumps Relationship With Jared and Ivanka. At one point, Mr. Zaslav simply asked, Whos your lawyer? and started acting like Mr. Licht was CNNs future chief executive. Are you ready for this? Thats a little bit like asking why The New York Times has had more stories about Hillary than anyone else." AT&Ts board had approved an ambitious budget of $350 million for CNN+, much of it already spent by the time Mr. Licht arrived. Benjamin Mullin and Michael M. Grynbaum contributed reporting. Your jobs have meaning. Among the casualties were familiar commentators like Chris Cillizza, key behind-the-scenes producers with decades of experience, and the entirety of HLN, CNNs sister network, and its popular morning host, Robin Meade. [3][31][32], As of 2017, he lived in Manhattan with his wife, Jenny Blanco and their two sons. Ive worked closely with Chris Licht and share his editorial vision: speed, but not at the expense of accuracy, passion but not at the expense of objectivity, Miller said in a statement shared with POLITICO. But, he said, it would be irresponsible not to do the tough work now. He added, I promise you CNN will be more profitable next year.. Mr. Licht encouraged them to be themselves and embrace the unexpected. In his most substantial interview since taking over CNN, the CEO talked about mistakes in Trump coverageincluding those made by his predecessor Jeff Zuckerand how he plans to avoid making . Licht was born to Susan Mary (Kneeland) and Dr. Peter David Licht of Newtown, Connecticut. As part of this effort, he has advised against overusing Breaking News banners in CNNs live coverage and spurned the networks infamous partisan debate panels. Scarboroughs smug show is nothing more than a sustained attack on the GOP and a platform to air his grievances against his erstwhile party. A new trove of leaked emails between Trump lawyer John Eastman and Justice Clarence Thomas' wife, and with Trump insiders, raises more questions about the Supreme Court's proximity to the plans to overturn the 2020 election result. Mr. Zaslav had stressed that he didnt care at least not much about CNNs current ratings, revenue or profitability. Licht, who made the comments during a Tuesday meeting with producers, warned that using the Big Lie is too close to the Democratic Partys branding, according to Mediaite. The announcement comes as Trumps lies about the 2020 election, and incitement of the Capitol mob, are front and center at the January 6 hearings airing on CNN and other major networks. CNN was plenty biased back then, but at least hosts like Bernard Shaw made some effort to feign neutrality. Discovery didnt anticipate further job cuts at CNN because there was no overlap between the news network and Discoverys cable channels, and thus there wasnt anyone else doing the same jobs that would need to be cut. One source called the idea of Jeff Zucker making a bid for the network "beyond fantasy.". [24], In late 2022, Licht received criticism as CNN terminated the contracts of several long-time correspondents including Brian Stelter, John Harwood and Jeffrey Toobin. [23] Licht has expressed a desire to change negative perceptions of CNN among Republicans. At another all-staff meeting this month, aimed at restoring morale, Mr. Licht took questions and then ended with a passage he wrote himself: In terms of morale, let me just say, you work at a world-renowned news organization alongside the best journalists on the globe. There are a lot of people - well, there are a lot of conservatives who are very happy to hear what Licht is saying. Fox and MSNBC were advocacy networks, as Mr. Zaslav put it, a proven business model appealing to like-minded viewers but of scant, if any, value as a public service. He oversaw the program as it won praise from critics for its discussions with prominent figures in the news and analysis of major news events. "I think anyone who doesnt see that, or argues with that, is just wrong. Not So Much. . Read More Courtney Friel KTLA, Bio, Age, Salary, Ex Husband, Wedding, Kids, Net worthContinue. After weeks of pushing out some of its highest profile personalities, CNNs new boss has made his first big on-air hires. This week brought news of the death of CNN founding anchor Bernard Shaw, known for pursuing the news and avoiding flash. Almost immediately, their shared vision of saving democracy ran into the harsh reality of cable news economics. Anita Vogel is an American journalist working as a news reporter for the Fox News Channel. Mr. Licht told him he had no interest in running it. He has acknowledged the desire to change Republicans unfavorable opinions of CNN. He was named to the post in April 2022. During that conversation, Mr. Zaslav warned Mr. Licht that hed be closely scrutinized and judged harshly. At their first meeting, Mr. Zaslav argued that running CNN would be a great opportunity to build the No. I love the collaboration. NN has long claimed to be the most trusted name in news but its recent history has seen the rolling US cable news channel court controversy with a shift to the left as the rise of Donald Trump roiled American politics. One such strategy requires CNN only refer to news as breaking news when they are really important. Under its newly installed chief executive Chris Licht, channel is seeking to go back to a more nuts-and-bolts approach to journalism. Required fields are marked *. He also worked with local NBC affiliates in LA and San Francisco markets. After having a brain aneurysm in 2010 when he was still under 40, Mr. Licht wrote a book about what he learned from the experience, while still describing himself as a killer TV producer with no urge to surrender my spot in the fast lane, even after the near-fatal incident. The tension between them seemed to enhance their audience appeal. And the names being brought on board further suggest a less outwardly political direction for the network. John Malone, a major shareholder in CNNs new owner, Warners Bros Discovery, said that he would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists. In a memo to employees on Thursday, Licht wrote . Mr. Lichts vision is contending with industrywide pressures to cut costs. Beginning in the fall, the network on Sunday evenings will air the show from former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace that was on the ill-fated CNN+. Can the Republican hold on to the political movement he helped build? His first major act was to kill the networks fledgling streaming service, CNN+, and fire 400 or so people working on it. Two examples have been coverage of the abortion debate in the wake of the Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade, and the debate over gun rights. We are not going to be a 24/7 Trump news network.. FOLKENFLIK: Well, perhaps the most recent appointment has been of John Miller. A month before the election, he acknowledged that airing so many Trump rallies in full was a mistake, but continued to defend the cable networks coverage in the following months after Trump had won. Each time, Mr. Colbert begins with the same four words: "I told you . Chris Licht's morning-show reboot is making headlines for all the wrong reasons and fueling wild gossip. During the O.J. CNN's new CEO Chris Licht is looking for a slam dunk and he hopes . He is also known for having launched Morning Joe on MSNBC, and the reboot of CBS This Morning. Then came the politically divisive response to the Covid pandemic, a European land war, climate disasters, police violence, mass shootings and now an economic reckoning. He's promising in this incarnation at CNN that he's going to make the channel less opinion driven, less perhaps focused on Donald Trump as the one true story that they really rode during the Trump era. Every day, it evolves. [27] The following year, the series won an Emmy for Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for a story on fraud at compounding pharmacies, which he co-executive produced with Steve Capus. In September 2015when CNNs Republican presidential debate shattered its ratings recordhe suggested CNNs focus on the then-GOP frontrunner was warranted because he was the story of the past three months. Licht will start as chairman and CEO of CNN in early May. Almost every show devolves into hysterical attacks on Trump. FOLKENFLIK: Harwood knew at the time he was saying that on the air that he was going to be leaving the network. They say they're reformulating how they're going to cover the media. If he wins reelection in November, Iowas longest-serving senator would be 95 years old by the end of another term. The moves, both editorial and commercial, come months after a sex-and-politics scandal at the network that saw the departure of CEO Jeff Zucker who had been having an affair with the marketing chief, Allison Gollust, who had previously worked for former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose brother and CNN anchor Chris Cuomo had helped fashion the governors response to sex harassment claims. Whats happening at CNN is not isolated. On their first lunch afterward, at Mr. Zaslavs usual corner table at Gramercy Tavern, Mr. Zaslav indicated their yearslong relationship had fundamentally changed. But still, a new poll suggests Republican voters are mostly in favor of Trump. If so, it would appear that he is the wrong man to do it. That has manifested itself in the departure of well-known figures regarded as harshly critical of former President Donald Trump. Chris Licht became CNN's chairman and CEO in May. [29][30] Joe Biden, the then vice-president and a survivor of an aneurysm himself, cold-called Dr. Vivek Deshmukh, a highly recommended neurosurgeon, to care for Licht. As for the coverage of Trump's presidential announcement, CNN did not air the full speech. The personal health crisis was a defining. But it wont have anyone on who says its sunny out. He helped to interview Osama bin Laden in the late '90s, but has been focused on counterterrorism in recent years and has been the source of some criticism from Muslim groups for that. Before joining the Fox News Channel, Vogel worked as a reporter and fill-in anchor for KCRA-TV (NCB 3) in Sacramento. CNN has made a number of changes since new boss Chris Licht took the helm. Miller most recently. Chris Licht's Master Plan Comes Into View Sure, an adult-table bastion of centrist upscale cable news sounds fantastic, especially since Fox News and MSNBC have totally abdicated the middle. This wasnt to plot a new course but to assure people we would not let up one inch in being truth tellers, he said. He was named Zuckers replacement on February 26, 2022, following the surprise resignation of CNN President Jeff Zucker in February 2022. A few months later, high-profile departures and arrivals may signal how he will lead the network. On Oct. 13, Mr. Licht made his debut in front of Warner Brothers Discoverys board at a hotel in Los Angeles, where he outlined both his growth and content strategy. Veteran CBS executive Chris Licht is expected to be named as CNN's next president, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. It was a good time reset. During a call with staff Tuesday morning, CEO Chris Licht announced that John Miller would be joining CNN as the networks Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst. Licht was the producer of that show before he later went on to produce The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He also suggested that CNNs producers refer to Trumps debunked voter fraud claims as the Trump election lie or election lies in banners and graphics. With Fox News and MSNBC having already staked out the right and left ends of the political spectrum, attracting the middle (what Mr. Licht referred to as normal people) has proved elusive. You are part of something bigger, of something with tremendous meaning. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. More at IMDbPro. I'm curious, does Harwood's departure fit into this bigger story? And in recent days, CNN's new leader has made moves that he says will return the cable channel closer to its news-driven roots. CHANG: Well, amidst all these changes you're describing, I saw that CNN's White House correspondent John Harwood announced that he's leaving. 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