David Zaslav faced a dilemma. Research showed him that multiple CNN personalities had given his recently acquired news network too far a leftward bend. Yet acting on that data and axing some of those figures could stain the tenure of Chris Licht, CNN’s newly hired CEO, in its infancy.
In an effort to shield one of its key personalities, Licht took the customary approach with a controversial star: he relocated Don Lemon to the morning slot. However, this arrangement lasted only five months before Lemon was ultimately let go, at the direction of Zaslav.
A recent New York Times profile delving into Zaslav’s management of CNN over nearly two years has provided insights into how the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO managed the network’s complex dynamics with Don Lemon. Lemon, a prominent figure at CNN known for his outspoken views, had been a fixture across the network’s programming, including primetime and New Year’s Eve. The Times revealed that what was initially a social and amicable relationship between Zaslav and Lemon had concealed Zaslav’s underlying desire to have Lemon taken off the air. Research showed him
After acquiring the network and anticipating the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Zaslav believed that CNN had adopted a distinctly partisan stance against former President Donald Trump, as per the Times. This editorial direction was largely shaped by CNN’s then-CEO Jeff Zucker, who, during a fall 2021 golf outing with Zaslav and others, defended the network’s anti-Trump focus.
However, Zucker’s influence on the network quickly waned, as an internal investigation into his romantic involvement with a top lieutenant resulted in his termination just before Zaslav assumed control.