’Colbert’ showrunner expected to be named new CNN chief
INVISION / AP
Stephen Colbert, right, executive producer of the Showtime animated series “Our Cartoon President,” takes part in a panel discussion on the show with fellow executive producer Chris Licht at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Jan. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif.
NEW YORK >> CBS executive Chris Licht, who is currently running Stephen Colbert’s late-night show after building two news programs, is expected to become the new president of CNN replacing Jeff Zucker.
Licht will be named as soon as next week to the job, according to an executive familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak on personnel. The selection was first reported Saturday by the website Puck.
The new chief is executive vice president of special programming at CBS. Before taking over as executive producer at Colbert’s “Late Show,” guiding it to the top of the ratings, he ran “CBS This Morning,” the network’s morning news show.
Prior to that, he was the top behind-the-scenes executive at MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in its formative years.
There was no immediate comment from a representative at WarnerMedia, CNN’s corporate parent.
The choice of Licht was made by David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery, which is expected to soon take over WarnerMedia in a corporate deal that is pending approval.
Zucker was forced out as CNN chief earlier this month for violating corporate rules by not telling his superiors about a romantic relationship with another CNN executive.
