Former CNN president Chris Licht has spoken candidly about how he was forced out of the network in 2023, suggesting he faced resistance to “change” from staff.
In an interview on Saturday At the New York Press Club's Journalism Conference, Licht said restoring America's “trust” in CNN was his “mission” when he was hired, and chalked it up to denying his firing was just “business.” did. He said he remains friends with David Zaslav, CEO of parent company Warner Brother Discovery, who fired him.
Richt was later asked by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith if he could “identify” exactly what led to his firing, and asked him if he could “identify” exactly what led to his firing. He cited examples such as profiles that portrayed people in a negative light, saying that all of them had caused a backlash. among the staff.
“When you're trying to dramatically change something, you can't do it alone. You have to build trust in the organization. They have to believe in you. And I didn't build that trust. '' Licht said. “While I was there, I couldn't build the trust that people would tune out the noise and follow me.”
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Former CNN CEO Chris Licht spoke candidly about his firing from the network at the New York Press Club Journalism Conference. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
“Is it because of time or something else?” asked Smith.
“Time is also a factor,” Richt replied. “We have to remember what was going on back then. It was crazy. I think anyone can objectively say it was a crazy time, especially in that organization, but I think that I’m not going to leave you alone.”
“I think when you're trying to step forward boldly, you have to be confident and you have to show confidence in that so people will follow you. But there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I'm still working on adjusting that. Sometimes I think I was on the wrong side.”
“The Atlantic article should never have been done,” he continued. “Speaking of arrogance, just imagine, by the way, saying no several times and then finally saying yes, you know, if this comes out in a year, I'm saving everything. This article is going to be very positive. Looking back now, I can only imagine the arrogance of that. It definitely was, as nothing had failed so far. In 2019, they're going to write about “Look, something amazing happened.'' So, no, I definitely shouldn't have taken the reporter to the gym. If there's one thing I can tell anyone, don't bring reporters to the gym. ”
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Licht said some CNN staff members who tried to steer the struggling network in a different direction “didn't want change.” (Elijah Nouberge/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Licht defended the Trump town hall, just as he did in his attack on CNN, saying, “I still believe it was the right thing to do.” He reiterated his regret for not disclosing to viewers that New Hampshire City Hall was filled with Trump supporters and center-right voters, while then-candidate Donald Trump pointed out that their positive response to this was significant in itself.
“Remember, we haven't seen Trump in a long time. It's been a while since he answered a really tough question. And it's been a long time since he answered very tough questions. And I don't think his stupid antics resonated with New Hampshire voters. The fact that it was, that's part of the story, but the people at home had to be told that, and that's one thing I would have done differently,” Licht said. Ta.
He continued, “So why did it happen? I think that's what it's all about… There were people who didn't want change and you know how I reacted to those people. There are some things I should have done – alliances I should have built and people I should have trusted more. However, there is no leader in any organization who does not have this kind of self-reflection. ”
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment.
Licht has helped restore CNN's viewership and boost its journalistic credibility after years of building a reputation as an anti-Trump news organization under Licht's predecessor, Jeff Zucker. was handpicked by Mr. Zaslav in 2022 to recover the.
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Licht defended a CNN town hall with then-candidate Donald Trump, which sparked a backlash from liberal viewers and network staff. (Screenshot/CNN)
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CNN's rank and file resisted Richt's efforts to remove the scene from coverage. Among his major moves was firing prominent liberal broadcast figures such as Brian Stelter, Don Lemon, and Jeffrey Toobin.
But Licht had completely lost the trust of CNN staff after the station hosted a Trump town hall in May 2023, sparking unprecedented outrage from within the newsroom. Richt was fired. A few weeks later, by Zaslav.
Fast forward to November 2024, as financial woes and dismal ratings continue to plague the network. Many of Richt's decisions were overturned – Stelter has been rehired Toobin and Lemon have made frequent guest appearances as media analysts, and CNN's anti-Trump coverage returned with a vengeance throughout Election Day.
CNN's current director, Mark Thompson, is now tasked with stemming the hemorrhage of dwindling viewers and profits. CNN staffers told FOX News Digital that they are “extremely frustrated” as significant budget cuts and layoffs are likely to shake up the network in the coming months.
