CNN chief Jeff Zucker resigns over undisclosed relationship / Photo: ©
NYSE - LSE
CNN chief Jeff Zucker resigns over undisclosed relationship
CNN president Jeff Zucker abruptly resigned on Wednesday for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a colleague at the US cable television channel.
As head of the 24-hour Cable News Network since 2013, Zucker was one of the most powerful media executives in the United States.
"I certainly wish my tenure here had ended differently," he said in a message to the network's employees. "But it was an amazing run. And I loved every minute."
Zucker, 56, said his resignation was effective immediately.
Zucker has been a frequent target of the ire of former president Donald Trump, who immediately issued a statement celebrating his departure.
In his message to staff, Zucker said that as part of an investigation into a CNN anchor, he was "asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years."
"I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years," he said. "I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn't. I was wrong."
CNN identified the colleague as executive vice president and chief marketing officer Allison Gollust, who said she would remain at the Atlanta-based network founded in 1980 by media mogul Ted Turner.
"Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years," Gollust said in a statement published by CNN.
"Recently, our relationship changed during Covid," she said. "I regret that we didn't disclose it at the right time.
"I'm incredibly proud of my time at CNN and look forward to continuing the great work we do every day," Gollust said.
Zucker and Gollust are both divorced, according to The New York Times.
- 'The Apprentice' -
Zucker joined CNN from NBC, where he served as president and chief executive officer of the NBC Universal Television Group.
While at NBC, Zucker launched the reality TV show "The Apprentice" that rocketed Trump to stardom.
The two fell out after the New York real estate tycoon entered politics, and CNN took a hard line towards Trump while he was president, frequently calling him out for lies.
CNN and Zucker became favorite targets of Trump's diatribes against the media while in the White House.
The former president released a statement about Zucker's resignation within an hour or so of it being announced.
"Jeff Zucker, a world-class sleazebag who has headed ratings and real-news-challenged CNN for far too long, has been terminated for numerous reasons, but predominantly because CNN has lost its way with viewers and everybody else," Trump said.
"Now is a chance to put Fake News in the backseat because there may not be anything more important than straightening out the horrendous LameStream Media in our Country, and in the case of CNN, throughout the World," he said. "Jeff Zucker is gone -- congratulations to all!"
In a statement published by CNN, Jason Kilar, the CEO of WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company, said that he will be "announcing an interim leadership plan shortly."
"We thank Jeff for his contributions over the past nine years," Kilar said.
CNN has announced plans to launch a subscription streaming service called "CNN+" in the next few months and WarnerMedia is currently engaged in merger talks with Discovery Inc.
J.Fankhauser--BTB