This report appears in this week’s edition of Talk, the news pulled back the curtain on the media. Ordered here and submit your questions, tips and complaints here.
Radioactive fallout from shooting by Brian Stelter and the Cancellation Trusted Source continue this week.
CNN insiders told Confider that employees couldn’t shake the feeling that the shocking move was made to appease John Malone, a far-right billionaire, close friend of the Murdoch family, and key member by Warner Bros. Discovery, who made it known that he wanted CNN to be more “central” — whatever that means.
While Malone denied it, he “directly relatedIn any decision about CNN, many current and former employees who spoke to us were concerned that the libertarian mogul was indirectly setting an agenda for the new boss. CNN appointee, Chris Licht.
The sources added that the internal fear of future changes stems from the way Licht holds his cards. near his chestwith members of his own management team left in the dark about his next moves.
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Sources told Confider that news of Stelter’s eviction was indeed supposed to be announced on Friday with a carefully curated story, the Daily mail and Daily Caller founded by Tucker Carlson, both reported on Thursday morning.
Stelter has been a right-wing media protester for most of his time at Trusted Source but other similarly vocal CNN stars like Don Lemon and Jim Acosta are safe for now, sources familiar with the matter told Confider.
Instead, insiders say, Licht will next turn his attention to “blowing up” CNN’s ratings-challenging morning show. New Dayasked old friend Ryan Kadro from CBS to help remake it.
However, employees feared further cuts and more layoffs when Licht, who has told friends he talks to David Zaslav daily, appeared to make Warner Bros. Discovery and his board’s desire to make CNN less controversial and, in the words of several current and former CNN employees, “more vanilla.”
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment.
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