Following CNN President Jeff Zucker’s resignation Wednesday, the corporate media outlet announced interim replacements amid the scandal.
CNN’s media reporter Brian Stelter confirmed Wednesday afternoon the company would use “three longtime members of the CNN leadership team, Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz” as the “interim co-heads for CNN beginning today.”
In a memo just now, Jason Kilar announced “interim co-heads for CNN beginning today:” Three longtime members of the CNN leadership team, Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 2, 2022
“I have full confidence that Michael, Amy and Ken, as interim heads for News, will provide the leadership this organization needs during this time of transition,” CEO of CNN’s parent network WarnerMedia Jason Kilar said in a statement, according to CNN. Kilar said employees would “hear more … in the coming days” from the new executives, according to CNN. (RELATED: Trump Responds To Jeff Zucker Leaving CNN)
Zucker announced Wednesday he would be stepping down due to a “consensual relationship with [his] closest colleague” that he was “required to disclose” at the time it began but failed to do so. Zucker said he was questioned about the relationship as the network investigates Chris Cuomo.
Stelter revealed the relationship is with CNN’s chief marketing officer, Allison Gollust. Gollust once served as former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s communications director.
The relationship “evolved in recent years,” Zucker said, with Gollust noting in a statement that the relationship heated up during the pandemic.
Stelter said Wednesday that Chris Cuomo was allegedly planning to reveal “incriminating information” about Zucker prior to his resignation.
“Number one is the Chris Cuomo reference. Cuomo was fired in December and he is not going out quietly. He was fired and there were reports that he wasn’t going to get paid the millions of dollars that were going to be on the remainder of his contract,” Stelter said. “So, as a source said to me earlier today, he was trying to burn the place down. He was going to court trying to burn the place down and claiming that he had incriminating information about Zucker and Gollust.”