CNN/U.S. senior VP of editorial Nancy Lane, who oversees all domestic newsgathering operations for the network, is leaving the company. In a memo to CNN staffers this morning obtained by TVNewser, Lane said that after 29 years, she has decided to move on and take on new challenges.
“While it’s comfortable to stay where one is, now seems to me the time to expand my repertoire and take a chance on new challenges,” she wrote.
Lane started at CNN in 1981 as an intern in its New York City bureau. According to her official bio, she served as an assignment editor, field producer, line producer, senior political producer, New York executive producer, Washington executive producer and Deputy Washington Bureau Chief before becoming VP and news director of CNN/U.S. in 2003. She was named senior VP in 2007.
CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein writes in a memo that “In the next few days we will lay out our plans for managing her responsibilities. But today is all about Nancy.”
The full memos from Lane and Klein are after the jump.
Yes, it’s true.
After 29 years, I am leaving CNN next Friday and taking with me the memories of so many incredible moments with so many incredible people.
I want each of you to know how much I have loved CNN and the privilege of playing a role in its many milestones: I was an intern during the return of the hostages from Iran, a producer during the historic presidential campaign of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, the revolution in Tiananmen Square and the first gulf war, Senior Executive Producer during the trial of President Clinton and finally to Atlanta, my last stop over the past decade, Katrina, Haiti and BP.
It has been a blast and a singular professional honor to be a journalist with a “front row seat in history”. But most of all, It has been a singular personal honor to be sitting there with so many of you.
Thank all of you who have taught me, helped me, supported me and kept me sane through 3 decades of endless days and crazy nights. I wouldn’t want to have been anywhere else with anyone else.
But things change. While it’s comfortable to stay where one is, now seems to me the time to expand my repertoire and take a chance on new challenges.
So it’s good-bye for now, my friends.
Carry on.
Nancy
And the memo from Jon Klein:
For 29 years Nancy Lane has played an ever increasing role at the heart of CNN, most recently leading our award winning domestic newsgathering operations.
While her announcement of her departure today brings to a close this particular chapter of her amazing journalistic career, no one will be surprised that Nancy wants a new adventure.
Nancy has played a role in so many of CNN’s highlights over the years that it is difficult to showcase one over another. However, her commitment on stories such as Hurricane Katrina and most recently with the BP oil rig disaster underscore her tenacity and leadership when it comes to being part of a winning team.
She leaves behind a powerhouse domestic newsgathering operation much stronger and more nimble than anything the competition has to offer.
In the next few days we will lay out our plans for managing her responsibilities. But today is all about Nancy. It has been CNN’s singular privilege to have her on the team and I am sure like me you will wish Nancy every success in the future.