CNN president resigns after relationship with co-worker

FILE - CNN chief executive Jeff Zucker attends the 13th annual CNN Heroes: ... Like other news outlets, CNN has suffered in the the ratings ... StayloggedinForgetpassword? Login Notyetamember？Register E-Mail 送出 返回登入頁 密碼設定成功，請使用新密碼登入  | Home World FILE-CNNchiefexecutiveJeffZuckerattendsthe13thannualCNNHeroes:AnAll-StarTributeinNewYorkonDec.8,2019.ZuckerannouncedWednesday... FILE-CNNchiefexecutiveJeffZuckerattendsthe13thannualCNNHeroes:AnAll-StarTributeinNewYorkonDec.8,2019.ZuckerannouncedWednesday,Feb.2,2022,thatheisresigningfromCNN.(PhotobyJasonMendez/Invision/AP,File) (APphoto) FILE—AllisonGollust,communicationsdirectorforNewYorkGov.AndrewCuomo,isshowninthisphoto,Jan.3,2013,inAlbany,N.Y.CNNPresidentJ... FILE—AllisonGollust,communicationsdirectorforNewYorkGov.AndrewCuomo,isshowninthisphoto,Jan.3,2013,inAlbany,N.Y.CNNPresidentJeffZuckerabruptlyresignedWednesday,Feb.2,2022,afteracknowledgingaconsensualrelationshipwithGollust,anothernetworkexecutive,endinganine-yeartenureatthehelmoftheoneofthenation'slargestmediacompanies.Gollust,CNN’sexecutivevicepresidentandchiefmarketingofficer,acknowledgedtherelationshipinamemoofherown.(APPhoto/MikeGroll,File) NEWYORK(AP)—CNNPresidentJeffZuckerabruptlyresignedWednesdayafteracknowledgingaconsensualrelationshipwithanothernetworkexecutive—anentanglementthatcametolightduringaninvestigationofnow-firedanchorChrisCuomo. ZuckersaidhewasaskedabouthisrelationshipwithlongtimeaideAllisonGollustaspartoftheCuomoinvestigation,whichrevealedthattheformeranchorhadaidedhisbrother,then-NewYorkGov.AndrewCuomo,ashenavigatedasexualharassmentscandal. “Iacknowledgedtherelationshiphadevolvedinrecentyears,”Zuckerwroteinamemoannouncingtheendofhisnine-yeartenure.“IwasrequiredtodiscloseitwhenitbeganbutIdidn't.Iwaswrong.” AmemotoemployeesfromJasonKilar,CEOofCNNparentWarnerMedia,saidthreeseniorexecutivesatCNNwouldrunthenetworkonaninterimbasis. Zucker,56,hasbeenanindustryleadersincehewasexecutiveproducerofthe“Today”showinthe1990s.Inthefollowingdecade,heranNBC'sentertainmentdivision,wherehewasinstrumentalinputtingtherealityshow“TheApprentice”starringDonaldTrumpontheair. HerosetobecomechiefofNBCUniversalandleftin2010whenComcasttookover. InastatementZuckersaidhewishedthathistenureatCNNhadendeddifferentlybut,“itwasanamazingrun.AndIlovedeveryminute.” Gollust,aformerpublicistwhorosetotherankofCNN'sexecutivevicepresidentandchiefmarketingofficer,isstayingatthenetwork. “JeffandIhavebeenclosefriendsandprofessionalpartnersforover20years,"shesaidinastatement."Recently,ourrelationshipchangedduringCOVID.Iregretthatwedidn’tdiscloseitattherighttime.I’mincrediblyproudofmytimeatCNNandlookforwardtocontinuingthegreatworkwedoeveryday.” PriortojoiningCNN,GollustservedascommunicationsdirectorforAndrewCuomo.LikeZucker,sheworkedatNBCpriortothat.Botharedivorced. ChrisCuomo,atthetimeCNN'smostpopularprime-timeanchor,wasfiredinDecemberwhenitwasrevealedindocumentsreleasedbyNewYorkAttorneyGeneralLetitiaJamesthathisbehind-the-scenesrolehelpingcrafthisbrother'sresponsetoharassmentchargeswasmoreextensivethanpreviouslyacknowledged. James'officefoundthatAndrewCuomosexuallyharassedatleast11women.TheformergovernorresignedinAugusttoavoidalikelyimpeachmenttrial. ChrisCuomoisreportedlyseekingasettlementfromCNN,andspeculationthatZuckerandGollust'srelationshipmightcomeupinthosetalkswasraisedwhenRadaronline.comwroteastoryaboutthetwolastmonth. Cuomo'slawyer,BryanFreedman,didnotimmediatelyreturnamessageseekingcomment. TheresignationwasmetwithshockwithinCNN,whereZuckerwasgenerallywellliked.Hesharpenedthenetwork'sfocusand,asaformerproducer,wasoftenseeninthecontrolroomsgivinghands-onadviceaboutrunningshows. Likeothernewsoutlets,CNNhassufferedinthetheratingsfollowingtheendofthe2020election,andhasnotyetnamedareplacementforCuomo. Particularlyinprimetime,CNNpersonalitieshavebecomemuchmorelikelytoexpresstheiropinionsontheair,andZucker'sdownfallwasmetwithgleeinsomeconservativecircles. Ironically,Zuckerhadbeencriticizedearlyinthe2016electioncyclewhenCNNgaveextensivetimetocoveringTrump'srallieslive. “ZuckermadeDonaldTrumpastar,morethanonce.Thatishislegacy,”tweetedmediaanalystJeffJarvisonWednesday. Yetinhispresidency,TrumpfrequentlycalledCNN“fakenews”andcriticizedZuckerpersonally.TheformerpresidentissuedastatementcrowingabouthisdepartureonWednesday. ExpertssaidZucker’sresignationmightaffecttheupcomingCNN+streamingservice,whichhasbeenmakinganaggressiveefforttorecruitbigmedianameslikeFoxNews’ChrisWallaceandNPR’sAudieCornish.ThatserviceisexpectedtolaunchinMarch. “Thetimingofthisdepartureisprobablyaboutasill-timedasyoucanget,”forCNN+,saidTimHanlon,CEOofmediaconsultancyTheVertereGroup.“CNNismakingupforalotoflosttimewiththearrivaloftheirstreamingservice…ThevisionofCNN+isverymuchinquestion.IthasJeffZucker’shallmarksalloverit.” TherehadbeenuncertaintyoverZucker'sfutureatCNNinrecentyears.HehadpreviouslyannouncedhewasleavingamidreportsoffrictionwithKilar.ButtherewassomehopeatCNNthathewouldstaygivenapendingcorporatemergerthatwouldputCNNundertheumbrellaofDiscoveryexecutiveDavidZaslav,knowntobeZucker'sclosefriend. “Thisobviouslymakesitprettyclearthattheirfutureismorewideopen,”saidMoody'sseniorvicepresidentNeilBegley.“ItmakesacleanerslateforthenewteamtocomeinandecidewhatisthebestwaytooptimizeCNNandnewsoverall.” ZuckerwasnamedchairmanofWarnerMediaNewsandSportsinMarch2019.HehasalsoservedaspresidentofCNNWorldwidesince2013. HeoversawallofWarnerMedia’sliveprogramming,includingalldivisionsofCNNWorldwideandTurnerSports.AtCNN,thatincludestheUStelevisionnetwork,CNNInternational,HLN,andCNN’sdigitalproperties.HissportsportfolioincludedTurnerSportsandBleacherReport. ThecircumstancesofZucker'sresignationarelikelytohurtCNN'sreputationbecauseitshowsapatternofethicallaxness,saidPaulArgenti,aDartmouthCollegeprofessorofcorporatecommunication. CNNwascriticizedformovingtooslowlywhenitwasrevealedthatChrisCuomohadbeenhelpinghisbrotherbehindthescenes.Ataboutthesametime,attheheightoftheCOVID-19crisis,CNNbentitsownrulestoallowChristointerviewAndrewontheair. “You’vegottojumponthesethingsquicklyandrespondbysaying‘Wemadeamistakeandhere’swhatwe’redoingsoitneverhappensagain,’”Argentisaid.“TheyshouldhavedonethatafterCuomo.” ThegenderadvocacygroupUltraVioletonWednesdaycalledonCNNtolaunchanindependentinvestigationintoitsleadershipandworkplacepolicies. WhileGollustandZuckersaidtheirrelationshiphadchangedonlyrecently,theirclosenesshadbeennotedbefore.KatieCouric,inher2021memoir“GoingThere,”saidZuckerhadpushedhertohireGollustwhenhewasadvisingheronthe2012launchofhersyndicateddailytalkshow. “WhenweworkedtogetheratNBC,sheandJeffcookedupeverbolderwaystodrawattentionto‘Today’andlatertoJeffhimselfwhenhemovedtoentertainment,”shewrote.“Theywerejoinedatthehip.” ___ AssociatedPressBusinessWriterMaeAndersoninNewYorkandTelevisionWriterLynnElberinLosAngelescontributedtothisreport. Tweet Updated:2022-03-1112:31GMT+08:00 "