CNN President Jeff Zucker abruptly resigned Wednesday, after acknowledging a consensual relation with another network executive. This entanglement was discovered during an investigation into now-fired anchor Chris Cuomo.
When asked about the relationship by Cuomo, Zucker stated that he had acknowledged it. The Cuomo investigation revealed that the former anchor had assistedhis brother, the then-New York Governor. Andrew Cuomo as he navigated sexual harassment scandal.
Zucker stated that he was required to reveal it at the beginning of the nine-year tenure, but he didn’t. I was wrong.”
Jason Kilar, WarnerMedia CEO, informed employees via memo that an interim leadership plan would soon be published.
Zucker, 56, is an industry leader ever since he was the executive producer of “Today” in the 1990s. He was also the head of NBC’s entertainment department, where he was responsible for putting Donald Trump on “The Apprentice.”
He rose to the top of NBC Universal before he was forced to leave in 2010, when Comcast took control.
Zucker stated that he wishes his time at CNN had ended in a different way, but that it was “an amazing run.” Every minute of it was wonderful.”
Allison Gollust was CNN’s executive vice-president and chief marketing officer. She acknowledged the relationship in an internal memo.
“Jeff has been a close friend and colleague for more than 20 years. Our relationship was reshaped by COVID. It was a mistake that we didn’t tell the truth at the right moment. She said that she was extremely proud of her time at CNN and looks forward to continuing the great work they do every day.”
According to a biography on CNN, Gollust was the communications director for Andrew Cuomo before joining CNN. She worked before joining CNN, as Zucker.
According to emails and transcripts of Cuomo’s testimony to state Attorney General Letitia Jams, Chris Cuomo helped to craft his brother’s responses on sexual harassment charges. Her office discovered that Andrew Cuomo had sexually harassed at most 11 women. To avoid an impeachment trial, the former governor resigned on August.
Bryan Freedman (Chris Cuomo) did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Cuomo is apparently seeking a settlement after his firing. Radaronline.com published a story last month about how it was speculated that Zucker and Gollust might be involved in such talks.
CNN was shocked by the news. Zucker is well-known for his tight ship and was loved by many. Gollust and Michael Bass were his top aides, another veteran of NBC News.
Experts believe Zucker’s resignation could affect the forthcoming CNN+ streaming service. The company has been trying hard to recruit top media personalities like Fox News’ Chris Wallace or NPR’s Audie Cornwallish. The service is expected launch in March.
Tim Hanlon CEO of media consultancy The Vertere Group stated that CNN+’s timing of the departure was “probably about as ill-timed” as it can be. “CNN is making up a lot of time with the arrival streaming service… The vision for CNN+ is very much in doubt. It bears Jeff Zucker’s signatures.
Zucker’s departure may also be an opportunity for the network, to reassess their future.
Neil Begley, Moody’s senior vice-president, said that there were reports in the past year about whether Zucker would be leaving at the end of his contract. This clearly shows that their future looks brighter. This gives the team a clearer slate to decide how to optimize CNN news and overall.
In March 2019, Zucker was elected chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports. Since 2013, he has been president of CNN Worldwide.
He was responsible for all live programming at WarnerMedia, including all divisions and Turner Sports. CNN includes CNN International, HLN and CNN’s digital properties. His sports portfolio includes Bleacher Report and Turner Sports.
Kilar stated in a memo to CNN staff that both organizations were at the top of their respective fields and are ready for the next chapter.