CNN on Wednesday ousted hated CEO Chris Licht — however the struggling cable network stays a “house on fire” with plunging rankings and no clear successor in sight.
Corporate overlord David Zaslav broke the news of Licht’s exit to stunned staff and installed a troika of veterans — editorial head Virginia Moseley, programming chief Eric Sherling and talent boss Amy Entelis — to wash up the mess of his 13-month tenure.
“Everyone breathed an enormous sigh of relief today,” a former CNN producer told The Post. “While persons are glad that Licht is gone, there’s still a way of dread that the turmoil goes to proceed.”
The final feeling inside CNN’s Recent York headquarters at Hudson Yards is that CNN is a “house on fire,” the source added, noting that the three-headed monster is a “Band-Aid” for the situation, “not a long-term solution.”
Moseley’s ascension was particularly concerning to many staffers due to exec’s “terse” and “icy” bedside manner, multiple sources said.
CNN CEO Chris Licht was ousted from the slumping network and replaced by a trio of interim execs, after a tumultuous tenure on the cable news network.Getty Images for Semafor
“She is a tyrant,” one former co-worker said. “She has no people skills in anyway. She is iron-fisted and demanded everyone show as much as work after the pandemic.”
“She’s not warm and fuzzy,” one other source said.
Moseley, a Harvard University graduate who has been at CNN for a decade, was elevated last yr by Licht to grow to be executive vice chairman of editorial, overseeing all of CNN’s breaking news coverage and domestic newsgathering.
“She’s type of like Anna Wintour,” offered a 3rd source who worked closely with Moseley in comparing her to the “Devil Wears Prada” editor in chief of Vogue magazine.
Insiders described Virginia Moseley, one in every of the three elevated execs, as a “tyrant,” who may very well be “harsh” and divisive.CNN
“She will be harsh and belittling,” the source said. “She’s not abusive but she’s going to inform you in the event you’re terrible. If she doesn’t just like the end result of something, she’s going to go round her colleagues as a substitute of working with them.”
Moseley, 50, spent 10 years at CBS News and had a stint at ABC News before joining CNN in 2012 to manage CNN’s White House, National Security and Justice Department, amongst other political reporting teams.
Some staffers did sing Moseley’s praises, saying she is liked by on air-talent and that she is a wonderful journalist, who is amazingly smart and “astute” with an expertise in Washington politics.
She is married to Tom Nides, who was named the US ambassador to Israel in 2021, which during his nomination raised the specter of a conflict of interest.
Sherling, 49, is best liked on the network, a source said, but too “socially awkward” for the public-facing role.
Sources praised Eric Sherling as a robust cable programmer but they questioned his social skills and leadership for the highest job.CNN
“Eric is a nice cable TV programmer,” a former colleague said. “He’s nice but unspectacular. He’s not a frontrunner, he’s not a visionary, he’s not a strategist.”
“I’m sure the guy has friends,” echoed a second source who worked with Sherling. “He’s got zero personality and nil people skills and that’s an issue.”
Up until last month, he had an interim role as CNN Worldwide’s executive vice chairman of US programming.
Sherling has worked at CNN for nearly twenty years, interrupted by a two-year stint at ABC, and “oversees all Recent York, Washington and Atlanta-based live programs for CNN US,” his bio touts.
Meanwhile, Entelis is essentially the most completed and most respected of the three, in response to sources.
She has recruited and developed much of CNN’s on-air talent since leaving ABC News to hitch the cable news network in 2012 — including anchors like Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper and John Berman.
Entelis also helped launched the profession of Robyn Roberts at ABC News.
“She’s calming for the talent and he or she’s a terrific producer,” a CNN source told The Post. “I believe she’s universally liked nevertheless it’s unclear if Amy goes to remain [at the network].”
Nevertheless, the source cited Entelis’ age — 72 — as a possible factor of why she wouldn’t be right for the job.
The popular Amy Entelis appears to be the frontrunner for Licht’s job, having developed a slew of on-air and off-air talent at CNN.Getty Images for Turner
“Amy Entelis is well respected but is she a dynamo at this point?” asked one former coworker of the exec.
“I don’t see any of them getting elevated [to Licht’s role] but I also don’t see anyone getting the job on the skin either,” an insider said, noting that there aren’t many executives who could reach the role.
CNN didn’t comment.
Zaslav has said all three will work along with his loyal lieutenant David Leavy, who was installed last week as CNN’s chief operating officer, while the Warner Bros. Discovery boss casts a large net for Licht’s substitute.
“We’ve great confidence on this group and can fully support them until a latest CEO is called,” he said. “We’re in good hands, allowing us to take the time we’d like to run a thoughtful and thorough seek for a latest leader.”
Zaslav said he’s planning the CEO search to take months.
Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav ousted Licht after a scathing magazine profile slammed the embattled CEO.AFP via Getty Images
Licht’s dramatic demise comes lower than week after a scathing magazine profile which depicted him as thin-skinned, aloof, and paranoid about negative media coverage in addition to resentful of lingering staff loyalty to his predecessor, Jeff Zucker.
“The difficulty with Chris was that is all right down to ego. He thought he was smarter than everyone and didn’t need anyone’s help. He wasn’t taken with what anyone needed to say,” a source with knowledge said.
“All the pieces he touched blew up,” added a media veteran, who cited several programming failures, chief amongst them his decision to relaunch and rebrand the morning show under Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow — only to fireside Lemon and move Collins to primetime — months later.
Licht’s short-lived tenure at CNN included a handful of programming missteps, including the relaunch of network’s flailing morning show.Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Zaslav accepted a few of the blame for hiring Licht, whom he tasked with pivoting CNN to more centrist coverage after years of jousting with Republicans, especially President Donald Trump.
“Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way in which we had hoped — and ultimately that’s on me,” Zaslav told shell-shocked staffers during an early morning editorial call on Wednesday.
Sources said it’s vital that Zaslav doesn’t repeat the identical mistake because the all-important presidential election is coming up, putting pressure for CNN to get it right and switch around their rankings, which cratered 25% in primetime in May in comparison with last yr.
“They should get their act together for the election,” said a former CNN worker.
“Who’s setting the direction?” asked one other source with knowledge of the three executives. “Firing Chris Licht isn’t going to alter CNN’s problems. Who’s leading the charge now?”