Chris Licht, the embattled CEO of CNN, reportedly apologized to team members on Monday morning for creating distractions and said he intended to continue working there despite stunning stories that have made some wonder about his future.
“I know these past few days have been very hard for this group. I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org. And for that, I am sorry.” Licht reportedly told employees during a recent editorial call.
Licht was making reference to a terrible article written by Tim Alberta for The Atlantic and released on Friday about the tumultuous year he spent as CEO of CNN. Aside from Licht’s strained working relationship with former CNN anchor Don Lemon and his apparently waning backing from David Zaslav, CEO of CNN parent company Warner Bros.
“As I read that article, I found myself thinking, CNN is not about me… I should not be in the news unless it’s taking arrows for you. Your work is what should be written about. To those whose trust I’ve lost, I will fight like hell to win it back, because you deserve a leader who will be in the trenches, fighting to ensure CNN remains the world’s most trusted name in news.” Licht continued.
The article also contained colorful details regarding the network’s highly panned town hall with former President Trump. The Atlantic’s article has been the topic of the media world, and many people are perplexed as to why Licht would let an outside writer such unrestricted access.
CNN CEO Chris Licht felt he was on a mission to restore the network’s reputation for serious journalism, @TimAlberta writes. How did it all go wrong?https://t.co/yhe5jfgzuW
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) June 2, 2023
The harrowing claims follow the tremendous response Licht got from CNN personnel over the network’s handling of last month’s town hall with Trump. During the Licht period, CNN has seen major ratings reductions.
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