CNN's new CEO expressed a desire to avoid the "extremes" of the channel's history and to "challenge" the way cable news has run in the past.
Newly appointed CNN CEO Chris Licht appeared at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront and promised dramatic changes for the company under his stewardship weeks after CNN+, a streaming service for the news network, failed. Licht vowed to change the company's programming and philosophy to make the network deviate from the "extremes" in cable news.
"Extremes are dominating cable news. We will seek to go a different way," Licht said. "We intend to challenge the traditional philosophy of cable news."
PROGRESSIVE CEO DEFENDS HIRING APPLICANTS BASED ON RACE AND GENDER
The executive also expressed a desire to change how CNN approached its morning program.
"First, we will reimagine our morning show, leveraging our correspondents and unmatched resources in the U.S. and around the world to provide news that viewers need to know as they start their day," said Licht. "I'm going to be honest here: We are seeking to be a disrupter of the broadcast morning shows in this space, and we believe we have the people and resources to do that."
The CEO also noted a shift in CNN's current programming, specifically the decision to continue producing former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace's talk show and stream it on HBO Max and CNN.
Licht previously served as the original producer for MSNBC's Morning Joe. He has also played a key role in establishing CBS News's current morning programming.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
CNN attempted to launch CNN+ in March as a streaming service alternative to cable news. However, the service struggled to find a consistent user base and was shut down a month later.
While CNN saw a surge of interest during the Trump administration, that surge quickly tapered off after President Joe Biden came into office. The channel has seen its weekly Nielsen rating spiral since January 2021, with notable surges of interest in September 2021 and late February 2021.