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CBS producer Chris Licht is set to be the next head of CNN

By David Folkenflik
Published February 26, 2022 at 1:27 PM EST

Updated February 26, 2022 at 3:29 PM ET

Veteran CBS executive Chris Licht is expected to be named as CNN's next president, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

Licht, whose appointment may be announced by Discovery Inc. as soon as next week, will take over a news network that takes great pride in its reporting abilities, but one that has been beset by scandal in its top ranks.

Discovery is in the process of finalizing its takeover of WarnerMedia, which owns CNN. The deal has already been green-lit by federal regulators.

Licht was previously an executive producer of "CBS This Morning" as well as "Morning Joe" at MSNBC.

His appointment comes as CNN International has been flexing its reporting muscles and displaying its wide global network in its extensive coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Puck News' Dylan Byers first reported the news of Licht's appointment.

Former CNN head Jeff Zucker, left, poses with Licht at the 2019 Mirror Awards in New York City on June 13, 2019.
Mike Coppola / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Former CNN head Jeff Zucker, left, poses with Licht at the 2019 Mirror Awards in New York City on June 13, 2019.

Licht will replace Jeff Zucker who resigned earlier this month after acknowledging he had not disclosed a romantic relationship with the network's then-top marketing executive, Allison Gollust.

Gollust also resigned later. The relationship between Zucker and Gollust surfaced in an investigation of Chris Cuomo, who was fired by Zucker over the extent of help the former CNN host had provided to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Andrew Cuomo, the older brother of Chris Cuomo, was then addressing accusations of sexual harassment and eventually resigned.

Zucker was forced to leave by Jason Kilar, the chief executive WarnerMedia.

Licht is known for creating successful shows around strong personalities, with a blend of news and entertainment.

He helped create MSNBC's Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

Licht then joined CBS News where he successfully helped relaunch the network's "CBS This Morning" show with Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell and revived "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after a rough first year.

Rose was eventually fired from CBS over sexual harassment allegations.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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David Folkenflik
David Folkenflik was described by Geraldo Rivera of Fox News as "a really weak-kneed, backstabbing, sweaty-palmed reporter." Others have been kinder. The Columbia Journalism Review, for example, once gave him a "laurel" for reporting that immediately led the U.S. military to institute safety measures for journalists in Baghdad.
See stories by David Folkenflik
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