CNN is in bad shape. The news network needs a reboot and it’s pivoting to a paid online app and recognizing that its old core business is on the way out.
That means jettisoning much of the leadership and public-facing personnel.
And scandals can help serve as a convenient tool for the purge.
The affair that serves as a pretext for ousting CNN boss Jeff Zucker was public knowledge and had been reported on as far back as 2017, but like the Cuomo scandal, it’s a convenient way to get rid of deadwood who have been here past their sell-by date. With Zucker gone, it’ll be much easier to clean house, bring in new executives and talent, and do it all under the guise of dealing with a scandal.
It may also save money on Zucker’s severance package depending on the nature of his deal.
Zucker made a dumb move by overstaying his welcome once the shift was clear. Formerly a survivor, a guy who picked the perfect time to get out of corporate jobs in the entertainment world and the media, he got too comfortable at CNN. Had he left a year or two ago, he might have landed on his feet, now he’s going to land on his big pointy head.
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