Chris Licht of CNN says leftist network not interested in ‘guerrilla hacking’

CNN boss Chris Licht said his third-ranked cable news network will no longer be home to “partisan hacking” or “ideological topics of discussion” as it continues to renew its lineup.

Licht vowed that the changes he hopes to implement at CNN are designed to “restore trust” in the tarnished brand that once called itself “the most trusted name in the news” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

One of Licht’s biggest challenges includes changing the coveted 9 p.m. CNN slot that Chris Cuomo held before he was fired at the end of 2021.

The executive addressed reports that he is looking for a comedian to fill the position to boost ratings, but he did not provide details on who the network is interviewing. In recent weeks, names such as Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Jon Stewart and Arsenio Hall have been actively discussed.

“We connect with culturally significant people from the entertainment, sports and comedy worlds who can bring a fresh and unique perspective to the news,” said Licht.

Asked how CNN can remain non-partisan with a self-assured comedian as its host, Licht added: “There’s nothing wrong with an opinion or point of view, especially in prime time, but it has to be authentic.” We have absolutely no interest in party hacking and ideological discussions.”

The chief executive also discussed a trip to Washington to meet with Republican lawmakers to reassure them that they will get an honest interview on CNN, which under Licht’s predecessor Jeff Zucker was accused of left-wing bias.

“It was a very simple message. If you’re looking for softball interviews, we’re not here,” Licht said. “However, we also want to be a place where we can share ideas openly, no matter where you come from, and be treated with respect. We will not invite you to score points.”

When asked if CNN agreed not to discuss specific topics for Republicans, noting that Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) was not asked about ethical investigations during a recent speech, Licht gave a confusing response.

“There are absolutely no such deals,” he explained. “If he was going to promote something that challenges something in his past, then we would definitely say ‘But wait a second, you had to resign’ or ‘You had to resign because of X. Y”. from.'”

He continued: “But if he’s going to talk about a narrow focus, as he talked about what happened on the floor of the House, this is not the right forum. If we’re doing a wide-ranging interview, then of course you’ll be asking these questions.”

Licht also spoke about the poor ratings of CNN This Morning, the revamped program co-hosted by Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Caitlan Collins.

“The early days. It just finds its footing,” he said, before moving on to the network’s overall poor ratings.

“What we are doing is fundamentally reformatting the network,” he said. “And it will take a while for it to get into a rhythm, and then it will take time to sell it. And so it will take some time to grow back. I was clearly given that time.”