CNN boss ousted after backlash over Donald Trump town hall
The boss of CNN has been ousted following a backlash over the left-wing news channel’s recent interview with Donald Trump and a damaging magazine profile. Chris Licht was appointed chairman and chief executive of CNN just 13 months ago after making his name as a TV producer. But his tenure was plagued by a series of programming missteps and controversies that sparked a revolt among the network’s staff. Most recently, Mr Licht drew fierce criticism over his decision to host Donald Trump in a town hall last month that was packed with the former president’s supporters. Staff were said to be furious that the channel had given air to lies and misinformation spread by Mr Trump, who has been impeached twice. Mr Licht defended the move, saying the network had “made a lot of news”. The CNN boss’s reputation fell further following the publication of a 15,000-word profile piece in The Atlantic that revealed details of his troubled tenure. Mr Licht apologised to staff on Monday, but his fate was confirmed by David Zaslav, chief executive of parent company Warner Bros Discovery, on a company-wide call this morning. In a statement, Mr Zaslav said: “I have great respect for Chris,...