OAN’s James Meyers
1:20 PM – Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday, Mark Thompson, the former Chief Executive of The New York Times and Director-General of the BBC, will be the new CEO of CNN Worldwide.
Advertisement
Thompson had been listed as one of the favorites for the position in multiple reports, suggesting Warner Bros. Discovery was close to announcing its new permanent news chief.
“There isn’t a more experienced, respected or capable executive in the news business today than Mark, and we are thrilled to have him join our team and lead CNN Worldwide into the future,” David Zaslav, the Chief Executive of CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement.
The hiring of Thompson comes almost three months after Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav fired Chris Licht from the position in June.
Licht’s time at the job was filled with controversy, after certain decisions such as alienating top talent and damaging the network’s reputation. As a result, his decisions tanked the networks ratings. He took major criticism for hosting former President Donald Trump in a recent town hall event with moderator Kaitlan Collins.
Thompson’s official start date will be October 9th as Chief Executive and chairman. In a statement, he said he “couldn’t be more excited about the chance to join CNN after years of watching it and competing against it with a mixture of admiration and envy.
“The world needs accurate trustworthy news now more than ever and we’ve never had more ways of meeting that need at home and abroad,” he continued. “Where others see disruption, I see opportunity. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get down to work with my new colleagues to build a successful future for CNN.”
Additionally, the news organization has let go of several top name anchors over the past several months including Chris Cuomo, Don Lemon and others.
After Licht was let go, CNN’s operations were run by four executives. David Zaslav, the Chief Executive of WarnerBros. Discovery said it will be a big help once Thompson takes over on October 9th.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts