New CNN Boss Promises to Challenge ‘Group-Think,’ Accept ‘Differing Viewpoints’

Former CBS and MSNBC producer Chris Licht formally took the helm of CNN on Monday morning and, in a 650-word note to employees, said he wouldn’t be in “the weeds of day-to-day editorial decision making” (like former CNN head Jeff Zucker), take on “‘group-think,’” Make sure CNN is on your list “respectful of differing viewpoints.”

Licht — who followed throughVisit his website April 18 promise to quit Twitter by May 2 — began with the usual platitudes by thanking everyone he’s met with as “[t]here truly is no substitute for in-person interactions.”

He also graciously thanked the three CNN executives (Michael Bass, Amy Entelis, and Ken Jautz) who led CNN after Zucker’s overdue ouster for their “incredible work…leading this extraordinary organization through various challenges, leadership changes, and, of course, the tragic conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”

Licht described them, notably as “having” “embodied the ethos that I value most: put your head down, tune out the noise and do the quality work our viewers need from us now.”

A change indeed from Zucker’s fixation on the drama, far-left partisanship, and snark.

Licht, who referred to CNN as the future, gave employees a positive message by telling them they worked for. “the greatest and most respected news organization in the world” And that “all of us are fortunate stewards of the bold vision of Ted Turner.”

Then came the good stuff, starting with Licht promising to uphold CNN’s mission “to inform, engage and empower the world” and make “all decisions through the lens of” the following:

Does this make CNN a better brand? This is why I think I am a good leader. I make sure I have the right people in control, and empower them to accomplish their tasks as best as I can. That will always be my goal, you can rest assured. 

Given CNN’s current position in terms of ratings and respectability, Licht will need to make wholesale changes.

Licht took a veiled dig at Zucker’s micromanagement of CNN, which is most well-known for its famously embarrassing behavior. IncludedAn article in The New York Times MagazineVideo of Jake Tapper during an intense interview with Kellyanne conway (Directed by Zucker)

I will be a very engaged consumer of our content, but I’m not here to get into the weeds of day-to-day editorial decision making. My aim is to help you all in any way that I can, and not duplicate or weaken the leadership and efforts of those who run their respective parts of the company.

Instead, Licht said, his job is “to set expectations, make the tough calls, fight for the resources you need, and remove any obstacles that keep you from doing your best work.”

Referring to “How” “[s]adly, too many people have lost trust in the news media,” Licht challenged the ex-news network to be more accountable “as beacon in regaining that trust by being an organization that exemplifies the best characteristics of journalism: fearlessly speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo, questioning ‘group-think’ and educating viewers and readers with straightforward facts and insightful commentary, while always being respectful of differing viewpoints.”

CNN, if Licht really meant what he stated, would be unrecognizable in its current form.

Licht closed by announcing a company town hall for Thursday, adding “transparency is very important to me” while also “sharing more of my vision” for CNN.