Former CEO of The New York Times Company, Mark Thompson, has been appointed as the new chairman and CEO of CNN by Warner Bros. Company. He will be succeeding Chris Licht, who previously led the cable news outlet.
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, conveyed this news to CNN employees on August 30 through a staff memo. Thompson recognized for his role in enhancing the financial state of The New York Times by expanding its digital subscriber base during his tenure as CEO from 2012 to 2020, is set to assume his role at CNN on October 9.
Thompson's appointment follows Chris Licht's departure in June after a challenging 13-month term marked by declining ratings, the departure of long-term anchor Don Lemon, and a critical portrayal in The Atlantic magazine that depicted Licht as an overly suspicious manager fixated on his predecessor, Jeff Zucker.
In the memo, Zaslav praised Thompson's extensive four-decade career in the news industry, highlighting his remarkable record of innovation and excellence. Zaslav expressed confidence that Thompson is the ideal leader to guide CNN during this crucial juncture.
Following Licht's departure, CNN has been under the interim management of various executives, including Amy Entelis (Talent Chief), Virginia Moseley (Head of News-Gathering), Eric Sherling (Programming Head), and David Leavy (Head of Commercial).
Mark Thompson, 66, has a history of collaboration with Zaslav, having previously worked together. Before his role at The New York Times, Thompson served as the director general of the BBC. During his time at The Times, he introduced initiatives like NYT Cooking, a subscription-based recipe service, oversaw the acquisition of Wirecutter, and launched the popular news-based podcast, The Daily.
After leaving The New York Times, Thompson's involvement extended to the Royal Shakespeare Company's board and co-chairing the International Fund for Public Interest Media.
Thompson's career in journalism began in 1979 as a production trainee at the BBC, gradually progressing to leadership roles for prestigious news magazines such as "Newsnight" and "Panorama."
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