Chris Licht, who helped develop “Morning Joe” on MSNBC and revamped “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” was named the president of CNN, replacing Jeff Zucker, the network announced Monday.
Zucker abruptly stepped down earlier this month after an undisclosed relationship with a close colleague came out.
Licht will join CNN in May after the expected merger of Discovery with WarnerMedia, which owns CNN, likely to close in April. According to the New York Times, Licht and David Zaslav, the chief executive of Discovery, have professional and social connections and have known each other for more than a decade.
According to a memo Licht sent Monday to employees, “I know you have a lot of questions. Perhaps the biggest one is how will CNN change? The honest answer is that I don’t know yet. David Zaslav has given me one simple directive: To ensure that CNN remains the global leader in NEWS as part of Warner Bros. Discovery.”
“Together,” he added, “we will double down on what’s working well and quickly eliminate what’s not.”
In a separate memo, Zaslav praised his new hire, then added an ode to CNN creator Ted Turner: “The legacy of Ted and CNN is long, proud and historic. The stewardship of this incredible organization is an amazing opportunity.”
Although the nexus of CNN’s power shifted over the past decade to New York from Atlanta, Atlanta remains a major hub for the company. A heavy portion of its online and international operations are based in Atlanta, as is HLN’s news operations. Weekend anchors such as Fredricka Whitfield still work out of CNN Center as well.
CNN+, the new streaming service set to launch in the spring, is primarily focused in New York.
Licht has no direct Atlanta ties. He grew up in Connecticut and graduated Syracuse University.
He’s had an impressive track record in the broadcast world. After stints in Los Angeles and San Francisco, he moved to MSNBC and co-created “Morning Joe,” the popular morning show. In 2013, he went to CBS News and rejuvenated “CBS This Morning” by adding Charlie Rose and Gayle King. In 2016, he took over the stumbling “Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” giving Colbert more time to focus on his stage act. He also convinced Colbert to lean more into politics, which boosted his ratings during the Trump era. Colbert over the past few years has regularly beaten his rivals Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.
Licht’s wife worked at CNN for many years. He noted in his memo to employees that as a result, “I understand many of the daily challenges you face. My commitment is to foster an environment in which everyone can do their best work and feel supported.”
He added: “I am joining CNN because I feel a genuine pull to return to news at such a critical moment in history. CNN is uniquely positioned to be a beacon of meaningful, impactful journalism for the world.”
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