CNN chief Zucker resigns, citing undisclosed relationship

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CNN (T -0.4%) chief Jeff Zucker has stunned the organization by resigning today, citing an undisclosed relationship with an employee.

"As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo's tenure at CNN, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years," Zucker says in a note.

"I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but it didn't. I was wrong," Zucker continues. "As a result, I am resigning today."

Zucker has been with CNN since January 2013.

That relationship is with CNN's chief marketing officer, Allison Gollust, CNN's Brian Stelter reports.

"Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years," Gollust says in a statement read by Stelter. "Recently our relationship changed during Covid."

WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar says: "I have accepted Jeff Zucker's resignation as Chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports, and President of CNN Worldwide ... We will be announcing an interim leadership plan shortly. Both of these organizations are at the top of their respective games and are well prepared for their next chapters."

Zucker's long tenure atop the news organization has been a discussion subject frequently over the past few years. First came speculation about whether he would stay at CNN through changes at AT&T. In 2018 he was expected to stay at CNN through the 2020 election. In 2019 he was reported to be in pole position to take over WarnerMedia (a position that went to former Hulu chief Kilar).

After the 2020 election, Zucker was then expected to depart the news network in early 2021. That was before later reporting that had him staying in the post until the end of 2021, and then that he would stay put through the closing of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger.

Comments

[linkdonald]

There is a market for a straight news organization. Those of us of a certain age can remember the MBC radio broadcasts with the likes of Lowell Thomas and Gabriel Heater. Since we already have broadcasters that lean left and right, there is probably a profitable niche along the lines of the old rip and read.

[achilleus]

@linkdonald while I agree completely with your view… those old journalists failed because nobody watched them.
It is why most outlets that last for centuries - ny post, the Daily Mail - remain scrupulously honest in *reporting, but have other sections devoted to wine women song sensationalism … that actually sell the product so they can continue actual journalism.

CNN failed because they abandoned journalism altogether and were exclusively sensationalist. I have zero doubt zucker deliberately destroyed it.

[M Elan]

@linkdonald No journalists want to report events. The entire appeal of the business is the Crusade. One must wade through the garbage to find the gold if any. What point is there in going to any of the cocktail parties if you aren't Crusading?

[BudFox7911]

@linkdonald CNBC is supposedly attempting that business model at 7:00PM EST. I have not watched it enough to comment one way or another. Purely fyi.

[w.sak]

The people are waiting for Trump to come back & kick this global warming in the butt & give us our pipeline back !!

[achilleus]

@w.sak what if he doesn't run? what if he loses?
what if he runs but doesn't give you back your pipeline?
what if he goes whole hog on EV and charging stations etc. and tries to bring the country into the modern world?

[w.sak]

@achilleus A honest election he walks away with it. He keeps his promises. He loves out country & the crowds know this. P.S have you ever seen anyone get more people no matter what part of the country he goes to ? Right now he is better than 90% to run again. Heath issues can change. Trump is not one of your ""what if's"" he is a solid American !!

[w.sak]

@w.sak Liberal rules, all the politicians become millionaires & People struggle !! Trump - $2 a gallon coming,& price drops. illegals going, & people have their money back again !!

[nerd_rage]

Malone pushed Zucker out so he and Zaslav can take control of CNN. Maybe they're discarding the notion of CNN+ as a standalone service? It might be a powerful way to battle churn if hitched to HBO Max. You can't really wait and binge-watch the news. Also I wonder if Kilar is making a play to keep his job? It's been widely assumed he's out.

[Vincent Larosa]

Shut down CNN and clean house. ATT stock holders will have to pay all these law suits

[linkdonald]

I would rather have seen him fired for his presiding over the falling viewership of CNN.

[losbronces]

@linkdonald That might be the main reason he was fired. The relationship was known for a long time.

[nerd_rage]

@losbronces CNN viewership is falling because cable is toast but that just frames the same question a different way: how to make CNN work on streaming? And in that case, an old-thinking type of cable guy is not the one to have the vision for the new CNN, so goodbye Zucker. Nothing to do with his relationship, that's an obvious excuse.

[nwcccisco]

@nerd_rage Cable is not toast. Fox is crushing it. It comes down to wheter or not viewers trust their news sources. CNN destroyed itself by violating this trust. I used to love watching... RIP CNN.

[What Happening]

Good excuse rather than getting canned after the DISCA takeover.

[BidenFamilyCFP]

@IRS needs to investigate BLM Great handle.
BLM Suspends Fundraising As States Question Financial Transparency(millions missing).
On the bright side, I bet not one single conservative was scammed out of their money by BLM.

[BidenFamilyCFP]

I wonder if Neil Young will be soon declaring that he will never appear on CNN again as long as they continue to spread "misinformation".

[KingEd23]

Considering how much CNN and many other corporations blatantly lie, unless oath...If their excuse is an undisclosed relationship, you can be sure that whatever the situation was, that it was far far worse.

[achilleus]

@KingEd23
this is just the last stab of the cuomo brothers dagger nothing more.
they've been hatefilled for years towards everything around them and when their own organizations flung them out in disgust they stab even their own.

[w.sak]

@KingEd23 If it comes from CNN it is just another like !!

[nerd_rage]

@KingEd23 Or far different. The timing with the Discovery merger and relaunch of HBO Max is no coincidence. How does CNN fit with the pivot to streaming? Who's the right person to lead that? Not some old guy from cable.

[LPeter]

Only a desperate housewife...with " lust"in her name..... could romance this sleazy slimey toad. Good riddance to the President of S and Gomorrah; hope my languishing shares of T finally start to rise.

[Chancer]

Good riddance to Zucker. Just shut down the CNN rat's nest. Who needs it?

[nerd_rage]

@Chancer It could have value in the whole effort to make HBO Max/Discovery a success. The competition (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime) doesn't care about news. Is that because news has no value to streaming (in which case, bye bye news except for Facebook fakery) or is it an opportunity the competition is ignoring? If the latter, they might really be onto something.

But whatever the new format for CNN is as it transitions to streaming, some old cable guy is not the right person in charge. They need someone young, with vision, who understands what the young audience wants, and has a global focus.

[Tennis1234]

CNN has needed a new game plan for years, and Zucker has finally worn out his welcome. Too bad he took the network down with him. He lost his luster at NBCU too, and look how well they have done once he was pushed out.

[sdavid04191]

OMG a company that trades on scandals has another one of its own. What a good way to keep business booming. Who's next? Wolf?

[JDoe20]

I’m shocked to see that Fox News just finished 20 consecutive years as the #1 cable network, having greatly outperforming a combined cnn and msnbc audiences.

I guess when you look at the 3 and their actual analysis of the major issues of the last 5 years, it makes sense. I was shocked at FNC’s balance when finally submitting and checking out all 3.

As a T owner I’m glad to see the CNN cancer Zucker, gone even on the spin-off. Now stay the F away from my other media stocks Z!

[nerd_rage]

@JDoe20 #1 cable network is like the best coal-shoveler in the bowels of the Titanic.

[BidenFamilyCFP]

A consensual heterosexual relationship, here at CNN? Oh HELL NO!

[50locations]

My prayers have been answered. I never watch CNN to start but as a holder of T, CNN needs a NEW game plan, News manager, On AIR talent, GM and producers.

[nerd_rage]

@50locations Cable is toast. CNN needs a post-cable plan for the transition to streaming. And my gut instinct is, this "scandal" is a smokescreen for Discovery giving Zucker the axe so they can bring in people with fresh ideas.

[achilleus]

@nerd_rage
lol
spammin the board isn't gonna make cnn a better investment

[Jaguar X308]

@50locations They went far left anti Trump and stopped being a news organization. Ted Turner in a 2018 interview even admitted this.

[Bob D in MI]

If you don't think people are fascinating, I present to you these comments.

[StoneSmasher]

Questions I have.
Is Zucker married?
Is this Allison Gollust married?
I understand the firing is because he did not disclouse sexaul relationship with employee, but I just want to see how deep the rot runs.

[jmor1]

@StoneSmasher I understand both are divorced

[Jemericoy]

@jmor1 It’s been said that it was common knowledge that they’re both divorced because they’ve been banging each other for years. Well before Covid. Just goes to show don’t $hi7 where you eat even if it is consensual.

[JDoe20]

@jmor1
They were married when this sin was started.

[achilleus]

gosh how many is this already? cuomo, and some director, and the ceo, and some director, and now another director... just close doors and go on

[Always Bullish]

She is a good looking Fox who kept her job. I wonder how she got promoted?

[M Elan]

@DLSheeler Two wild and crazy guys?

[card_cooke]

CNN hasn't been the same since Peter Arnett was shown the door because of a CIA/NSA "request".