First On TVNewser: CNN senior VP of current programming Bart Feder is leaving the cable news channel, TVNewser has learned. His last day at the company will be May 24.
“Bart Feder and I have been in discussions over the last couple of weeks about his role in the company and he has decided that it is time to move on and take his career in a new direction,” CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker wrote in a note to staff this afternoon.
As is the case at most companies, with a new boss comes a new leadership team. Zucker has made a number of personnel changes since taking over earlier this year, both on-air and off-air.
We hear that Feder’s responsibilities will primarily be absorbed by trusted Zucker deputy Michael Bass, who joined CNN last month from syndicated talk show “Katie,” which Zucker helped launch.
Feder, a former news director for WABC in New York, joined CNN in 2008 as the senior VP of current programming. Two other senior CNN executives have departed in the last few months, including executive VP and managing editor Mark Whitaker, and senior VP of communications Christa Robinson.
Zucker’s memo:
I wanted to share some news with you all. Bart Feder and I have been in discussions over the last couple of weeks about his role in the company and he has decided that it is time to move on and take his career in a new direction. He will be leaving us on May 24. I want to thank him for helping me with the transition over the last four months and of course for all of his contributions over the past five plus years at CNN. We wish him all the best.
Jeff