Monday marked the first official day for new CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht, and he sent out a memo to the staff, which Axios Media Reporter Sara Fischer obtained.
Before getting into his plans for the network, Licht wanted to thank interim bosses Amy Entelis, Michael Bass, and Ken Jautz for holding down the position between the resignation of former CNN President and Licht’s first day.
Licht stated he’s “incredibly grateful for their leadership, and will continue to lean on them as I seek to learn more about our global organization.”
“They have met every situation with grit and professionalism, and, most importantly, they have worked tirelessly to keep our people safe.”
The former “Late Show” showrunner then transitioned to his plans for the network, saying he would be very engaged with the content but won’t intervene in the day-to-day.
“I will be a very engaged consumer of our content, but I’m not here to get into the weeds of the day-to-day editorial decision making,” Licht said. “I am here to set expectations, make the tough calls, fight for the resources you need, and remove any obstacles that keep you from doing your best work.”
Finally, Lichte touched on attempting to regain the public’s trust in news and wants to be the news company that best demonstrates the best journalistic practices.
“Sadly, too many people have lost trust in the news media. I think we can be a beacon in regaining that trust by being an organization that exemplifies the best characteristics in journalism,” Licht said.
“Fearlessly speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo, questioning ‘group-think’ and educating viewers and readers with straightforward facts and insightful commentary, while always being respectful of differing viewpoints. First and foremost, we should, and we will be advocates for truth.”