- ESSENTIAL POINTS
- Mark Thompson has been chosen the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery and the chairman of CNN, a cable news network.
- Thompson formerly held the positions of director-general of the BBC and president and CEO of The New York Times.
- Chris Licht was fired a few months before to Thompson’s hiring.
The next CEO and chairman of CNN will be Mark Thompson.
A few months after Chris Licht was fired as the network’s executive director, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday that it has named Thompson as the new network president. Thompson previously held the positions of director-general of the BBC from 2004 to 2012 and president and CEO of The New York Times from 2012 to 2020. In a note to staff members, Thompson said that his first day at the CNN headquarters will be October 9.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav wrote in a message to colleagues on Wednesday, “I am confident he is exactly the leader we need to take the helm of CNN at this crucial time.” “Many thanks to you all.” The selection of Thompson, a 40-year journalism veteran who was recently honoured for his media contributions, comes as the American presidential election season heats up.
As cord cutting for traditional TV packages has increased and CNN’s ratings have fallen behind other cable news rivals, Thompson assumes control of the network. CNN will be available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service starting on September 27. It will act as the network’s 24-hour live news center and response to streaming.
“As everyone is aware, disruption in TV journalism is at its height. Every direction is exerting pressure on us: structural, political, cultural, you name it. Recently, CNN experienced some of the angst and uncertainty that come with working in the media.
” To the CNN employees, Thompson wrote. “Neither I nor anybody else can wave a magic wand to make this interruption go away. What I can say, though, is that where some see a threat, I see an opportunity, particularly in light of CNN’s strong reputation and journalism.
His appointment comes after a turbulent period for the cable news network, particularly for its leadership. Early in 2022, longstanding boss Jeff Zucker resigned after failing to reveal a sexual involvement with a prominent employee who had previously worked as Andrew Cuomo’s communications director. The resignation of Zucker shocked the team. Chris Cuomo, a prime-time host, was sacked shortly after that as a result of new evidence CNN claimed to have concerning his contentious position.
Read Thompson’s letter to the CNN staff:
Dear all,
No doubt you’ve heard the news and read David Zaslav’s message confirming that I’m to be CNN’s next Chairman and CEO. I just wanted to add a few words of my own.
I can’t tell you how pleased and proud I am to be joining you after so many years of watching – and envying – your work from the outside. Over the decades, I’ve bumped into CNN teams on story after story from Washington, DC to Tiananmen Square. Two months ago I spent a day watching CNN’s spell-binding coverage of the Wagner rebellion, and I watched and read our major competitors too. That day confirmed an old truth to me: when it matters most, CNN is the best place to find out what’s happening. You always rise to the occasion.
As everyone knows, TV journalism is approaching peak disruption. We face pressure from every direction – structural, political, cultural, you name it. Like many other media organizations, CNN has recently felt some of the uncertainty and heartache that comes with all of that. There’s no magic wand that I or anyone else can wield to make this disruption go away. But what I can say is that where others see threat, I see opportunity – especially given CNN’s great brand and the strength of its journalism. I’ve spent most of the past twenty years figuring out with colleagues at some of the world’s other great news operations not just how to survive the revolution, but to thrive in it and gain new audiences and revenue streams. I aim to do the same at CNN. It won’t be myplan that wins the day but our plan, the plan we devise and implement together. Which is why, particularly in the early weeks, you’ll find me doing a lot more listening and learning than holding forth.
I want to add my personal thanks to the interim leadership team. Amy, David, Virginia and Eric have done a terrific job steering the ship over the past couple of months and I look forward to working with them.
My first official day in the office is 9 October but I’m planning to pop in a few times before then. So if you see a tall figure with an English accent and a loud laugh, you’ll know who it is.
All the best,
Mark
Image Source: google
