CNN CEO Licht out: Short, tumultuous tenure saw many upset staffers

KARAH RUCKER: CNN’S CEO CHRIS LICHT IS OUT. HIS TIME IN THE NETWORK’S TOP POSITION WAS SHORT-LIVED – THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR – REPLACING JEFF ZUCKER. UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP — CNN WAS HOPING TO REDEFINE ITS PLACE IN THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE.

NETWORK’S RATINGS, REVENUE DOWN

BUT INSTEAD SAW A CONTINUING DECLINE IN REVENUE AND RATINGS.

VIEWERS ALSO NOT RESPONDING WELL TO THE NETWORK’S ATTEMPT TO SHIFT FROM A LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLET TO MORE POLITICALLY CENTERED.

THIS YEAR — THE NETWORK SAW ITS WORST RATINGS WEEK IN 9 YEARS.

YEAR-OVER-YEAR — VIEWERSHIP DROPPED A DRAMATIC 61 PERCENT IN MARCH —

THE WORST FREEFALL OF ALL MAJOR CABLE NETWORKS IN THE SAME TIME FRAME.

MAJOR LAYOFFS PLAGUE CNN UNDER LICHT’S TENURE

THE REVAMP OF CNN’S MORNING SHOW – ALSO HASN’T FARED WELL.

CO-HOST DON LEMON MADE REMARKS ABOUT A WOMAN’S PRIME YEARS WHICH TURNED INTO A BAD PUBLICITY HIT. THE LONG-TIME CNN ANCHOR WAS FIRED NOT LONG AFTER. ANOTHER VETERAN ANCHOR BRIAN STELTER WAS ALSO LET GO.

HUNDREDS OF STAFFERS WERE INFORMED IN NOVEMBER THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS IN A ROUND OF LAYOFFS AT CNN – THE DEEPEST CUTS TO THE ORGANIZATION IN YEARS.

THE NETWORK’S EFFORT TO FIND A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO JOURNALISM HAS ALSO GOTTEN MIXED RESULTS. A TOWN HALL WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SKYROCKETED THE NETWORK’S RATINGS – ATTRACTING 3.3 MILLION VIEWERS.

BUT ALSO GAINING CRITICISM OVER ITS EXECUTION – AND IT’S LEFT-LEANING BASE LASHING OUT OVER THE NETWORK ALLOWING THE FORMER PRESIDENT TO USE THEIR PLATFORM.

OVER THE WEEKEND – ANOTHER TOWN HALL WITH PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL NIKKI HALEY DIDN’T PERFORM SO WELL. VIEWERSHIP WAS DOWN 83% COMPARED TO TRUMP’S TOWN HALL.

ALL OF THESE RECENT DOWNFALLS WERE RECENTLY DOCUMENTED IN A 15 THOUSAND WORD ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE ATLANTIC ON FRIDAY.

ATLANTIC PROFILE ON LICHT AIRS CNN GRIEVANCES

CNN STAFFERS SPOKE ANONYMOUSLY ABOUT INFIGHTING AND LACK OF INTERNAL SUPPORT – SOME SAYING CHRIS LICHT’S VISION WASN’T SHARED WITH MANY FELLOW EMPLOYEES – WHO WERE ROOTING FOR HIS DEMISE FROM THE START.

CHRIS LICHT ADDRESSED THE ARTICLE WITH STAFFERS ON MONDAY —

LOOKING TO MOVE ON FROM WHAT WAS AN ARTICLE OF AIRED OUT GRIEVANCES AND FRUSTRATION OVER CNN’S STAGNANCE. THE CEO LEFT FIVE DAYS AFTER THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED.