CNN’s VP of diversity Geraldine Moriba is leaving the network.
CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker announced the change this morning. He said Moriba will be starting her own media company “taking her passion for great journalism on the road.”
In addition to heading up diversity and inclusion at CNN, Moriba worked in the program development unit. She’s independently produced the documentary Until20.
“The last seven years at CNN I’ve had the honor of leading the charge of addressing issues of accountability and inclusion, while producing content that matters,” Moriba said in a statement. “My success at CNN now fuels my desire to keep innovating and contributing to our storytelling economy, this time independently. I couldn’t be more excited!”
Moriba joined CNN in 2010 heading up the In America documentary unit. Before that, she spent 10 years at NBC News in various capacities as a producer, senior producer and in Standards & Practices.
“While her guidance and support has been invaluable to me, and our entire company,” Zucker wrote, “I understand why this move makes sense for her at this point in her career, and wish her nothing but the best.”
Moriba’s departure comes a week after two Turner employees, one current and one former, sued the company for racial discrimination.
Here’s Zucker’s full note:
December 15, 2016
I want to share some important news with all of you on the CNN Diversity Council. Geraldine Moriba recently let me know she has decided to leave CNN for an exciting new pursuit. While her guidance and support has been invaluable to me, and our entire company, I understand why this move makes sense for her at this point in her career, and wish her nothing but the best.
Geraldine came to CNN seven years ago as the executive producer of the “In America” documentary series. Under her leadership, “In America” released 11 award-winning, sponsored documentaries in two years. Following this success, Geraldine stepped into a blended, influential role as an executive producer with the original program development team and the vice president of diversity and inclusion. She developed several strategic business initiatives to support the newsroom and editorial content. In 2016 under Geraldine’s watch, CNN attained its highest diverse audience levels ever and ranks number one across cable news with Black, Hispanic and Asian viewers.
Earlier this year Geraldine released Until 20 an independent documentary about James Ragan, a young athlete who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare cancer. It’s already screened at 15 film festivals across the world and won 9 audience awards. In February it will be featured at a bi-partisan Congressional screening on Capitol Hill.
Geraldine is leaving CNN to launch Moriba Media, taking her passion for great journalism on the road. Among her first projects will be a scripted film, a podcast and, of course, more documentaries.
Geraldine is leaving an indelible imprint on the culture of our newsrooms that will have a lasting impact. Please join me in wishing her much success on her next adventure.
Jeff