In an internal memo, Jason Kilar, the CEO of WarnerMedia, announced to staff that he would be stepping down from his role this Friday ahead of his company’s merger with Discovery, which will become official this Friday.
Kilar, who has been in this position for nearly two years, oversees a vast media empire, including CNN, HLN, and Turner Sports. He was the odd man out when his boss AT&T CEO John Stankey, and Discovery Chief David Zaslav announced last year that WarnerMedia and Discovery would merge to form Warner Bros. Discovery and that David Zaslav would lead it.
In the memo, Kilar said that he has never been more fulfilled and happier professionally while at WarnerMedia and that “leading this team has been the honor of my lifetime.”
For many in the news division, Kilar’s tenure might not be viewed in the same rose-colored lense as he was responsible for the sudden departure of CNN head Jeff Zucker earlier this year after Zucker failed to disclose his relationship with Allison Gollust, CNN’s marketing, and PR chief.
Kilar was also responsible for Gollust’s departure.
These revelations came about after Zucker fired CNN anchor Chris Cuomo after an internal investigation revealed that Cuomo was heavily involved in helping his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, fight sexual harassment allegations.
Zucker was beloved by many within CNN, and his unexpected departure left a large void at the network as many could not fathom how CNN could continue without him at the helm.
The chaos following Zucker’s departure will definitely not be on Kilar’s highlight reel as he had to endure the wrath of many Zucker loyalists within the news organization. They believed that he used this opportunity to oust someone he had a contentious relationship, which led to unnecessary upheaval within the network.
Zucker’s departure also came at an inopportune time for CNN as it was on the verge of launching its most ambitious project to date, its streaming service CNN+.
Kilar, who oversaw the launch of Hulu, stepped in and helped with the launch of CNN+, which went live last week.
Read Jason Kilar’s full memo below.
With the pending transaction with Discovery nearing close, now is the right time to share with each of you that I will be departing this amazing company.
There are many feelings one could have in a moment like this, but for me there are none bigger, or more lasting, than the feelings of gratitude and love that I have for this team, this company, and this mission. I’ve never been more fulfilled professionally. I’ve never been happier professionally. This team – and what we’ve built together – are the reasons for that. We’re leading the industry creatively. We’ve elevated technology, product, and design to the highest levels in the company. We’re operating as one team, proudly and successfully going direct to consumers across the globe. It has been deeply gratifying to lean into the future alongside each of you and to do so with conviction.
The joys are many, especially the walk-and-talks that I’ve had with a great many WarnerMedia team members, diving deeply into the matters at hand, whether on the storied lot in Burbank, along The High Line at Hudson Yards, in and around Techwood and CNN Center, inside our archives, across the expansive lot at Leavesden, at any of our game studio locations, or the many other locations where this team quite literally changes the world. Apparently, word has gotten around that when Jason calls for a walk-and-talk, be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes!
For those of you that know me well (or follow me on Twitter), it comes as no surprise that I adore our history and the footprint we have as a company across the globe. I’ve done my best to visit and get to know as many of you as possible and to photographically document my love for this team and this company along the way via social media. So, when my wife Jamie and I were thinking about what we could do on our own to adequately express our appreciation to each of you, we came up with the idea to create a series of artifacts featuring some of the photos I’ve taken to celebrate this team and WarnerMedia. We’re inviting each of you to visit this website and choose an image that resonates…from the iconic Warner Bros. water tower, the gleaming towers of Hudson Yards, the virtual production stage in Leavesden, and several more. An artifact featuring that image (and a note from me on the back) will be shipped to you in the coming weeks. Our hope is that this memento will bring a smile and remind you of the important contributions we’ve made to the 99-year legacy of this extraordinary company.
Leading this team has been the honor of my lifetime. My heart is so full, and I am beyond thankful to each of you. There is no better team on the planet, and I will savor every last step as I wander the lot in Burbank several more times this week, with this team on my mind, always.
Jason