Staff Reports
CNN CEO Chris Licht is in hot water after The Atlantic published a tell-all piece detailing constant problems Licht has faced while trying to rebrand the organization, which has gained a reputation for spreading fake news. Many CNN employees are reportedly unhappy with Licht, from drama with former host Don Lemon, to moving his office away from staff. Licht’s criticisms of CNN’s COVID coverage have also landed him in hot water with employees, who find his comments unwarranted and deny that the network hyped COVID for ratings.
Fallout Continues Within CNN After Devastating Profile of Embattled CEO https://t.co/owdx68iEPK
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 5, 2023
Many employees have reportedly lost faith in Licht and doubt he can continue to serve as CEO, with one stating: “He’s over,” and another commenting: “There’s no coming back from that profile.” The sentiment is shared by many at CNN, but it’s unclear whether Zaslav agrees.
The fact that CNN employees believe the non-journalistic culture at CNN is not the problem, but rather Licht himself, is highly revealing. It suggests that they do not believe the mountain of criticism they have received over the past few years is valid, instead dismissing it as “MAGA Republican nonsense”. CNN’s refusal to do any self-reflection and its reaction to suggestions of returning to journalism point to a larger issue. The network may never win back the trust of the nation, nor does it deserve to. The harsh reality is that Licht is not the guy to fix CNN’s problems.
