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‘I Would Not Be So Foolish’: Chris Licht Throws Cold Water On Reports Network Was Exploring Comedy Show For Prime Time

(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CNN)

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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CNN CEO Chris Licht threw cold water on reports that the network was looking to introduce a comedy show during its prime time hours in an interview published Monday.

Sources familiar with the matter told Semafor that network executives were considering a comedian to host a non-traditional program that could air in the 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. time slot. The network was reportedly looking at popular faces like Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah and Arsenio Hall.

The Los Angeles Times’ Stephen Battaglio spoke with Licht in a Zoom call and asked him about the speculations.

“So there was some reporting that said you’re looking to do some type of topical comedy show in prime time,” Battaglio asked. “Is that true?”

“No,” Licht said. “I worked on a comedy show. And it took over 200 people to produce an actual comedy show. So no, I would not be so foolish as to, in one fell swoop, hurt the brand of comedy and news by trying to do a comedy show on CNN.” (RELATED: CNN’s Gentle Shilling For Twitter Execs Shows The Network Will Never Be What Chris Licht Wants)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 18: Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide speaks onstage during the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2022 show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 18, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 18: Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide speaks onstage during the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2022 show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 18, 2022 in New York City. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)

“I’m casting a wide net to help broaden the appeal of our prime time,” he continued. “But at the same time, I can’t offend our core audience of news junkies. I would never do anything that would hurt the brand and reputation that we’re working so hard to restore.”

That said, Licht did note the network is in “conversations with culturally relevant individuals from the worlds of entertainment, sports and comedy who can bring fresh and unique perspectives to the news.”

Licht previously served as the executive producer for CBS’ comedy “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

CNN’s rankings hit historically low levels in 2022, with the network averaging a little more than half a million viewers each day with just slightly over 120,000 in the key 25-54 year-old-advertiser demographic. CNN’s profitability also sank below $1 billion in 2022 for the first time since 2016.