A surprising, but not shocking piece of news coming out of CNN to begin Thanksgiving week: CNN U.S. programming evp Michael Bass is leaving the network.
Bass was one of the many Jeff Zucker lieutenants Chris Licht kept around during the leadership transition earlier this year. However, according to Variety, his time at CNN is now coming to an end.
Bass’ current contract with CNN reportedly expires at the end of the year, and Variety adds in a memo to employees, Licht said the decision to leave was Bass’. Internally, however, there is “widespread acknowledgment” that CNN, which has been struggling to keep up with its ratings competitors since the early days of the Biden administration, is looking to move in a new direction with its on-air U.S. programming content and general tone.
Bass was a force behind the “passionate” on-air tone CNN programming adopted in recent years, particularly during the Trump era. Licht admitted he isn’t a fan of such rhetoric, recently telling podcast host Kara Swisher that there was “too much opinion in primetime during Trump and that leaked into dayside a bit.”
It remains to be seen who will replace Bass as the network’s top programming executive. Licht announced in his memo: “We are launching a search for Michael’s replacement, and we will communicate an interim plan in the coming days.”
Licht recently brought in his successor at CBS This Morning (now CBS Mornings) Ryan Kadro to oversee the new CNN This Morning. Perhaps he’ll be given the role. It’s doubtful Licht will go outside the company, considering CNN and Warner Bros. Discovery are trying to cut costs right now. We’re just not sure yet.
Bass had been CNN’s No. 1 U.S. programming executive since arriving at the network in 2013, overseeing all New York- and Atlanta-based CNN live programs, including mornings, dayside, prime, and weekends. In addition, he has been managing network-wide booking, sponsored content and CNN special projects.
Before serving as Zucker’s programming chief at CNN, Bass was Zucker’s top lieutenant at the Today show when the duo led that broadcast in the 1990’s. Bass left NBC in 2001 to take over as EP of CBS’s The Early Show (2002-2007). He returned to NBC in 2007 in a business development role and joined Katie Couric’s syndicated show (which Zucker executive produced) in the summer of 2012, and joined CNN in April 2013 not long after Zucker took over.