Late Show Producer Chris Licht Named CNN Global CEO Following WarnerMedia-Discovery Merger

Discovery CEO David Zaslav—who will also lead the Warner Bros. Discovery following the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger—has found his replacement for former CNN chief Jeff Zucker. Chris Licht, who currently serves as evp of special programming at CBS, and executive producer and showrunner for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, has been named the new chairman and CEO of CNN Global. The appointment will be effective following the completion of WarnerMedia's merger with Discovery, expected in early second quarter. “I have known and admired Chris for more than 15 years and strongly believe he is the best person to lead CNN Global as part of Warner Bros. Discovery," Zaslav said in a statement. "Chris is a dynamic and creative producer, an engaging and thoughtful journalist, and a true news person. He has more than two decades of broadcast experience across local, cable and national news. He has been in the field, in the control room and on the set. He is a highly-principled individual who is trusted, hard-working and makes every organization stronger, more innovative and more cohesive.” Discovery expects Licht to start at CNN in early May, after the merger is finalized. He will report directly to Zaslav. CNN President, WarnerMedia News and Sports Chairman Jeff Zucker Resigns “I’m honored to have this opportunity, especially at such an important time for our country and the world,’’ said Licht in a statement. “CNN has a rich and storied legacy and I both promise to uphold it and build upon it. I am eternally grateful to Stephen Colbert and the peerless Late Show team for an unforgettable run. I am looking forward to returning to my journalism roots.” In a note to CNN staff today, Licht said, "I know you have a lot of questions. Perhaps the biggest one is how will CNN change? The honest answer is that I don't know yet. David Zaslav has given me one simple directive: to ensure that CNN remains the global leader in NEWS as part of Warner Bros. Discovery." He continued, "I am a journalist at heart. While I have enjoyed every minute at The Late Show, I am joining CNN because I feel a genuine pull to return to news at such a critical moment in history. CNN is uniquely positioned to be a beacon of meaningful, impactful journalism for the world. I am committed to upholding and building on CNN's legacy." Before joining The Late Show, Licht spent two decades in news. He joined CBS News in 2011 as vp of programming. Licht then led a re-imagined CBS This Morning from its launch at the start of 2012 until 2016, when he was tapped to run The Late Show. The Colbert-led program got off to a rocky ratings start, and Licht helped right the ship, helping propel the show to No. 1 in late-night in both total viewers and adults 18-49 demo most coveted by advertisers. Prior to joining CBS, Licht spent six years at MSNBC, co-creating and executive producing MSNBC's Morning Joe. He joined MSNBC in 2005 as Joe Scarborough's producer on Scarborough Country after a number of years as a local news producer at various California-based stations. Replacing Jeff Zucker Licht replaces Jeff Zucker, WarnerMedia News and Sports chairman and CNN president, who resigned on Feb. 2 following the revelation of a "consensual relationship"—which had not been previously disclosed—with Allison Gollust, who had been CNN’s evp and chief marketing officer. Gollust herself resigned from CNN on Feb. 15. Zucker arrived at CNN in 2013 following more than 25 years at NBCUniversal. He took over NBC’s Today show when he was just 26 and rose through the ranks to become the company’s president and CEO from 2007-2011. Zucker was elevated to chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports in March 2019.