CNN chairman Chris Licht has taken on a new leadership team for the news and business side of the network, primarily choosing from the ranks of insiders who worked for his predecessor.
In a memo to CNN’s 4,000 employees on Wednesday, Mr. Licht said Virginia Moseley would become the executive vice president of CNN’s editorial board, responsible for most of the network’s TV and digital newsgathering.
The move consolidates the overview of news. Ms. Moseley had led the company’s TV news gathering, while the digital news team was led by another director. Some aspects of CNN’s digital report, including business coverage, features and interactive storytelling, will be managed by another director, Wendy Brundige.
Mr. Licht added that several other news veterans at the network would retain top positions: Michael Bass, the executive vice president of programming; Amy Entelis, the executive vice president of talent and content development; and Ken Jautz, the executive vice president of news.
Mr. Light’s priorities at CNN, and the team he could appoint, have been the subject of widespread speculation since he took over after the abrupt departure of his predecessor, Jeff Zucker, who stepped down after falling out of a relationship with a close friend. had announced. co-worker. Mr Licht has told CNN staff that he wanted more impartial journalism and less political battle on television.
Among the business appointments Mr. Licht announced on Wednesday were two other executives who worked under Mr. Zucker. Johnita Due will become the network’s executive vice president of integrity and inclusion, responsible for CNN standards and practices in addition to her existing duties of diversity, equity and inclusion oversight. Ramon Escobar, CNN’s senior vice president of talent acquisition and development, will take charge of the network’s workforce.
Mr. Licht also appointed Chris Marlin, a friend who had worked for Florida-based homebuilder Lennar for decades, as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Operations. Mr. Marlin will be responsible for finding new revenue for the network, a priority necessitated in part by the inevitable decline of the traditional TV business.
The memo also stated that Kris Coratti would become the network’s chief communications officer, replacing the interim head of communications, James Anderson. Mrs. Coratti has been to The Washington Post.
Variety previously reported on some of CNN’s leadership changes.
