Chris Licht, the CEO of CNN, has been ousted from his position after a tumultuous 13 months marked by controversy.
In a recent statement, Licht referred to his time at CNN as “an exciting but incredibly challenging assignment” and expressed his gratitude for the learning experience.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have had a successful, fulfilling career and I look forward to my next chapter. I wish the team at CNN the very best, always,” he added, according to CNN Business.
His departure comes after a damning exposé that highlighted his shortcomings in the role. CNN Business reported Licht’s comments and the circumstances surrounding his exit.
Licht was chosen by David Zaslav, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s corporate parent, in May of the previous year.
His primary task was to steer the network away from its “anti-Trump” messaging, which had become a defining characteristic during Jeff Zucker’s tenure as the previous CEO. However, Licht’s tenure faced numerous challenges and setbacks.
Chris Licht out
During his time at CNN, Licht encountered a series of missteps leading to rock-bottom employee morale, layoffs, shrinking profits, historically low ratings, and the firing of two anchors.
