From: “Jeff Zucker, CNN Worldwide”August 7, 2013
Date: August 7, 2013, 9:15:03 AM EDT
To: “*All CNN Staff (TBS)”, “*HLN Staff (TBS)”
Subject: A Note From Jeff Zucker
It has been just over six months since I arrived at CNN. In that time, we have significantly increased our newsgathering resources and launched several new programs, including “Around the World,” “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” “New Day,” “HLN After Dark” and have just announced premiere dates for “Crossfire” and “AC 360 Later.”
And we’ve only just begun. During these past six months, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how we should best organize to meet the needs of an evolving 24-hour, global, multi-platform news environment.
Now, I am pleased to announce some organizational moves that will help do just that.
On the CNN US side, Andrew Morse will join us as SVP, CNN US, overseeing our domestic newsgathering and digital editorial efforts. Andrew joins us from Bloomberg, where he served as Head of US Television and transformed their linear television newsroom into a state-of the-art digital newsgathering operation. Prior to that, Andrew spent 15 years at ABC News, where he did everything from overseeing their entire digital portfolio, to serving as Executive Producer of Weekend GMA, to stints as bureau chief in Asia and producer in London. Andrew will be based in New York and report to me.
With Andrew’s new role, I am taking the opportunity to connect digital and television in a way that I believe any modern news organization must. As you have heard from me since I arrived here, I have been anxious to combine our newsgathering operations across ALL of our platforms. Now, our domestic digital and television editorial teams will report to Andrew, as we continue to drive those teams together. As a result, Meredith Artley and her digital editorial team will now report to Andrew, as will Terence Burke and the entire domestic newsgathering operation. Sam Feist, and the DC editorial and programming teams in the Washington bureau, will also report to Andrew. As a result of this, all of our domestic newsgathering operations now reside in one editorial organization, and I have asked Andrew to continue to drive our digital and television teams even closer together.
KC Estenson will continue to be responsible for our digital business, concentrating on how we deliver our news and information in all the new ways that are emerging every day. KC will continue reporting to Susan Grant, and Meredith will have a dotted line to KC.
In addition, on the CNN US side, Michael Bass will continue as SVP and will now have oversight of our New York and Atlanta based programming, including mornings, dayside, prime time and weekends. Jim Murphy, Janelle Rodriguez and our prime time executive producers will all report to him. Michael will also continue to oversee network wide booking, sponsored content, our Heroes programming, and our in-house documentaries. Michael will be based in New York and report to me.
Amy Entelis, our SVP, Talent and Program Development, will now report directly to me. Our emphasis on new programs, both live and taped, will continue to take on increasing importance. To help bolster that, we are pleased to welcome Nancy Duffy, as VP, Program Development. Nancy joins us from Fox News and will report to Amy, overseeing development of all new live programming. Vinnie Malhotra continues to have responsibility for our acquired series and CNN Films. And Courtney Sexton will be joining Vinnie’s team in Los Angeles, from Participant Media, as Senior Director, CNN Films.
Ken Jautz, EVP, CNN US will focus his attention on our overall operations and financial rigor at CNN US. He will continue to have oversight of Jack Womack’s areas of Operations, Special Events and Newsource. He will also handle day to day financial planning, serving as CNN’s interface with sales, distribution and finance. Ken has been a key partner of mine from the day I got here, and I will continue to rely on his experience and institutional knowledge.
All of these moves are effective August 19th.
With all of these changes on the domestic side, I have asked Tony Maddox to focus his time and attention solely on our international operations. Tony will continue to manage CNN International, CNN en Español, and all of our international news gathering operations. I believe this full time attention on those aspects of the organization will further enhance our international operations. The Row will continue to report to Tony, as well.
On the HLN side, I have some other news. Next week, marks 22 years since Scot Safon came to Turner. He spent the first 11 at TNT, the last 11 at CNN. Recently, Scot approached me with the desire to take a well-deserved break, and to move on to the next phase of his career. I have enjoyed working with Scot, and I am truly sorry to see him go. But I do understand the desire to do something new. Scot will be with us through the end of August. Until a new leader of HLN is named, I have asked Ken Jautz to oversee HLN, in addition to his current CNN responsibilities. Scot’s direct reports, Katherine Green, Tim Mallon and Dean Sicoli, will report to Ken during this interim period.
Scot leaves HLN in a position of strength, enjoying some of its best ratings in years. That is a tribute to Scot, and all of the wonderful people at HLN, both on and off camera. Scot has been a terrific leader, and he will be missed.
We are in the midst of some exciting, transformative times. These moves will make us even stronger. Please join me in thanking Scot, and welcoming Andrew, Nancy and Courtney to CNN.
I hope you enjoy the remaining weeks of summer. It’s bound to be a very busy Fall.
JEFF
*source TVNewser
27 comments:
Yep, as mentioned in a previous post...
"Jeff Zucker began his CNN presidency on the new year. By two years in January 2015, everything might not have worked out to his expectations so I think it would be best for CNN US to be replaced by CNN International. All the popular domestic anchors will stay put though like Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and Chris Cuomo. The Situation Room and AC360º are simulcasted on both networks anyway, not to mention major breaking news, political events such as elections and debates. All are simulcasted. I strongly feel that Americans crave more international news anyway. I don’t see too much of it on CNN US."
Ken Jautz gets sent back to HLN . Andrew Morse is now in charge of domestic newsgathering. Tony Maddox gets to solely focus on international news again. Michael Bass in now in charge of NYC and ATL programing. Here comes the CNN management overhaul. Now that's good but Jeff Zucker is striking out with programing.
CNN has got to start making better hires. HIre Jacob Soboroff and Cara Santa Maria and bring Take Part LIve to CNN in prime time replacing Piers Morgan. Secondly,hire the husband/wife dynamic journalism duo Darren Foster & Mariana Van Zeller from Nat Geo. They have the show Inside America. Both are award winning investigative journalists. Honestly, these are the type of investigative stories that will fit well with 360. CNN has to show it is still strongly committed to news. OK we all think this is why CNN made the management announcements today. It follows a day in which there are many red flags being raised about the direction of CNN.
Now we don't know is CNN would hire any of these people but you need good content to make good TV.
News and news oriented programming are great content. Apparently AJAM will not be keeping Vanguard so that means that Kaj Larsen, Christoff Putzel and Adam Yamaguchi are available. Hiring jurnos who can produce content on multiple platforms benefits CNN. Quality journalism matters,
Sometimes we think about starting a website connecting people to great journalism ,writing,storytelling,photography that is out there. Have you all noticed that not one website focuses on good journalism or reporting. It's all about the worse in cable news and the news industry. It's a stunner not to see a new media specialist in the management ranks at CNN.
CNN needs to keep this in mind : video killed a radio star. There is a reason why print and radio news is dying. They are not visual mediums. The only reason TV is surviving in the digital age is because of video and the content it provides to digital media. TV & the internet and other forms of digital media need each other. Content is king. You have to hire talent that is likable,relatable and have communication skills that enables them to connect and talk to viewers. So much of the delivery and presentation on CNN is awful. CNN is not good at TV.
Right now there is no tangible proof that Jeff Zucker is expanding the news beyond politics and opinion. We are still waiting. Much of this is being greeted with a collective yawn with the exception of AC360 Later, but there are questions about what the show will be or not be.
Just out of curiosity, we ran the cable news ratings so far for August 2013 prime time. TV Newser is the data source. CNN has fallen back to 3rd. FOX is averaging 1,583,000/250,000. MSNBC is averaging
519,000/199,000 & CNN : 428,000/132,000. CNN will have no momentum going into September. 2013 is coming to and end in the not too distant future. September & October are the only months to make gains. With the NFl & NBA gearing up it won't be easy. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around you are losing viewers. There is also the brand new season of network shows. Like Big Bang Theory. The fight for viewers will not get any easier.
Andrew Morse is an interesting hire. He has been modernizing Bloomberg with infographics.mini movies, cool beats. Bloomberg also has Bloomberg West and a revamped Lunch Money. So in theory the news and reporting on CNN should improve. CNN's business news definitely needs an upgrade.Bloomberg has also been adding more news elements to the network. This goes back to David Rhodes who is now at CBS. Morse would have worked closely with David Rhodes. His work at Bloomberg is what got him the CBS gig. Now Jeff Zucker takes the same route by bringing in Andrew Morse to work at CNN. Political says he will head up a new digital integration at CNN. Bloomberg does free live streaming of the network. I'm with Politico this is a shakeup.
Ouch . The Benghazi special on CNN flopped. CNN can't put on fake docs like Discovery. Right now the ratings are ugly in cable news and CNN & HLN keep going down. Dire ratings indeed.
The Benghazi special deserved its poor ratings because everything about it was poor, especially when it came to reporting the truth. It's been pointed out that the special rehashed points that CNN ITSELF HAD ALREADY DEBUNKED! How is THAT for quality journalism?
@12:14 - some of your info is out of date.
Christoff Putzel is indeed with AJAM.
Kaj Larsen WAS with CNN back in 2010 - and was let go when the Investigative Unit was dissolved. He is now with HBO's the Newsroom as a consultant.
History is repeating with Jeff Zucker. The man damaged NBC so badly that the only thing that gets them ratings is the NFL. An 11 AM crime hour and Crossfire are going to help destroy CNN. It is not going unnoticed that CNN is starting to look a lot like HLN. Ted Turner is already on record calling HLN the pervert of the week channel. It's a reason why HLN has the worst ratings.
Meanwhile PBS is making historic moves by naming Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff anchors for the PBS NEWSHOUR. CNN's fall is going to be hard and fast. It is unfolding right before our eyes. There are going to be news alternatives to CNN. PBS knows that 60 % of the population on college campuses are now females so they are aiming for college educated females and news junkies.
Breaking news is what helped CNN top MSNBC. What CNN is doing now is going to eventually hurt them with breaking news. AJAM is coming. That means we don't have to watch the trash that CNN is broadcasting It's a shame and shows how little CNN values viewers. None of this will bring CNN new viewers but it will cost them core viewers. We don't watch CNN to see HLN or FOX. It's not like we can't access these channels. The is that when CNN did this in the past there was not news alternative. Come
August 20th, AJAM is available.
Crossfire and the crime hour highlights every thing that is wrong with CNN. Jon Stewart is right when he says CNN is terrible. CNN's dayside ratings are going to plummet and that will drag down CNN prime. MSNBC thanks CNN very much for sending them viewers.
Hold your horses boys and girls. CNN is about to feel the pressures to have a female anchor in prime time. Bring on a women's news show in place of PMT. Put on female journalists not pundits of ethnic diverse backgrounds. How about Michaela, Isha Sesay, Alino Cho and Hala Goranni. No pundits. It's leaking out that FNC is putting Megan Kelly on at 9. That means they just made history and CNN becomes the only cable news network with zero female anchors in prime time.
CNN is going to have to do a lot more changing to compete with other cable news. I just read that Fox is putting Megan Kelly at 9pm slot - rivaling Morgan and Maddow. Perhaps this is an assault in Maddow but I don't think Morgan is going to be winning any new viewers with that competition. Gotta hand it to Ailes, this is a smart move. If Hannity get bumped to 7pm, CNN's goose is cooked. Burnett and Morgan are the weak links and CNN can't keep depending on Anderson Cooper to keep them afloat. His brand has been waning.
What I find frustrating is that CNN has so many better reporters and anchors than Fox News. Fox News has the worst correspondents and yet they have good ratings.
Has Megan Kelly every actually left the studio and done any reporting? At least Erin Burnett gets out there and even goes to Africa.
"Waning brand" or not, if they get rid of Anderson, I'm done with CNN. I'm not always happy with AC or AC360, but he's one of their better and respectable reporters and a big asset to the reputation of the network. It would be a mistake for them to try to move him out.
"his brand has been waning," in reference to Anderson Cooper's input on 360.
Totally agree. His brand IS waning because HE is waning and has been for years and yes, CNN has become Anderson dependent since Klein was at the helm.
Perhaps Zucker realizes this and is trying to adjust it. It matters not if some people are put off because CNN tries to become a stronger network with or without Anderson Cooper.
CNN will survive one way or the other.
And as far as Megan Kelly is concerned, she's a dynamo and doesn't just there and read the teleprompter....like those at CNN, and that includes Anderson Cooper.
At least SHE has opinions.
From Roger Ailes mouth to TVN's ears: ALL OF OUR STARS WILL BE BACK.
Good for him. At least Ailes should be given credit for creating stars....in the plural.
CNN has one star who was created in 05, when he chased a hurricane and since then, has yet to actually open his mouth and voice an opinion unless he's knocking the Obama Administration with the help of one of his favs from the GOP line up.
Sounds like some folks here should just watch Fox and Megyn Kelly. Meanwhile I'm happy Anderson gets a new show at 10 that sounds like it will be good. Looks like Zucker has faith and confidence in him. If not, giving him another hour is a funny way of showing it.
CNN has never been the network where the anchors express personal opinions. I thought most of their viewers knew that by now.
So FNC & MSNBC are both making moves that are considered to be forward thinking . Meanwhile on CNN,we've got pundits and panels. FNC is trying to soften it's image in primetime to attract women. Doubt it will work because that is not the tone of FNC. However, FNC gets great press for daring to be different. MSNBC rumored to be giving Alcec Baldwin a talk show at 10 PM on Friday. Everyone knows that CNN should have Strombo on in prime time not at 11 PM on Friday. CNN looks tired,outdated and out of touch. No one is even talking about CNN, Why ? CNN is the doing the same thing over and over again. Sure viewers are hungry for more pundits and opinions. CNN seems to not be getting the message that opinion can't gain viewers. It's what cable news has been doing for decades. You will see that women's show on MSNBC. FNC lacks the diversity to pull it off. None of this should be surprising CNN is
always way behind and out of ideas. The changing demographics of America means the television audiences are rapidly changing. CNN is totally ineffective at communicating/having that conversation with viewers. CNN uses the 1 way street formula. Guess what CNN can no longer afford to treat viewers like that are not in the room. On CNN they are not looking into the camera and having that conversation with viewers. HEy, talk to me. Oh it's the 80's and 90's so viewers are suppose to sit and watch people argue or say dumb things. Let's see there is now Facebook and Twitter. Ever hear of the internet and social media CNN. Now we know why CNN is the Rip Van Winkle of cable news. They went to sleep in the 90's and does not seem to be awake in the 21st century.CNN will be the biggest loser in the cable news game. Yawn is the reaction that CNN is getting and it is well deserved. No matter who is running CNN, the same tired old stuff gets done over and over again. Why bother watching CNN ? The network who makes itself irrelevant.
It would be nice if CNN had an actual female journalist in their prime time line up and not a talk show host like Megan Kelly. I like Megan, but she is not the type to ruin her hair or outfit. That is why I wish Soledad was still at CNN. Soledad actually gets out and reports. Right now she is in Haiti working on stories for AJAM.
Michaela, Isha, Hala,Christiane, Suzanne, Briana and others there is no shortage of talented female journalists at CNN. Still go for Erica Hill, Veronica De La
Cruz, Betty Nguyen and NIcole Lipan too. The point being CNN has female journalists. Pundits are never going to bring in millions of potential viewers. That is the real reason behind the shakeup at the View. Their own research showed they were losing viewers because of the bickering between Joy and Elisabeth. The 2 people who are leaving the show. The Talk shows that you don't have to yell or be rude. The View has never had competition but they do now.
Let's hope that AC360 Later will not overdose on pundits like CNN. Just go with a 1 panel segment on a specific topic like Take Part. I have actually added the show to my DVR. I seem to be scanning through several segments on 360. With Take Part it's different.
Last night TPL did a segment on the prison system. The approach took me aback because they tired the entire conversation to an event happening today with the FCC and prisoner calls. It turns out that states have found a way to make money off of prisoners families by having insane rates. The conversation also talked about other prison related topics. It stunned me that Texas is leading the way in reform. This is a topic I have never seen anywhere. I hope that Anderson does not have a panel on the show for an entire hour. ! panel segment is enough. The big question : we he have people from academia, guests who are more interested in good constructive conversation rather than ideological talking points. Pundits have done nothing to help CNN's ratings. One of the most creative segments TPL has is Newsville. Everybody can play along. They also have 1 guest interview. That is a much better model for CNN to follow.
Content is the best way to engage viewers.CNN has got to start being creative and innovative. Why does a contributor always have to be a political type. That means that there is really no news freedom A few and the loudest have highjacked CNN. CNN is to afraid of the right that their first concerns seems to be let's placate conservatives. When you are that narrow thinking you get bad television like CNN. Conservative media has a niche audience. That audience is older and are set in their ways. They are not going to start magically likely CNN for bashing Obama. But you can always get viewers who care about news and information. Let's see 360 Later have college professors,filmmakers,writers, news makers,people who are actually interesting and do something. What is the newsworthiness of every story featured on CNN. I waiting for some brave cable news executive to tell the ideologues : you don't control my network. CNN does not influence right wing media so why does CNN gets owned by right wing media daily. CNN is being constantly busted for taking right wing talking points as facts.
I don't care if they are left or right extremists. They should not control the news we are paying from. CNN is the biggest sham going. They are not even doing news but we have to pay for their crap.
According to US MAGAZINE which at the moment leads People in circulation, Alec Baldwin had a few nasty things to say about CNN's Anderson who is relentless when it comes to one issue and one issue alone, "gay rights."
Baldwin says that "this guy went years without saying one word about it and now you can't shut him up. He's become "sheriff" of this one issue.
Although I'm no fan of Alec Baldwin, I happen to agree with him on Mr.Cooper.
If you're a news man, you don't want to put a label on yourself as the "gay anchor," or that is exactly what people will perceive you as....like President Obama is the President of ALL the people. He
is NOT the President for just the black community and he has tried to stay away from this issue whenever possible.
Anderson Cooper should listen and learn from someone he obviously opposes.
There are certain people on this blog that like other channels better and continue to knock everything that CNN does. Well go ahead and watch these other shows -particularly the person who continues to give a review of the Chris Hayes show. To me Anderson is the best journalist and I watch him every night. I don't care what Chris Hayes is doing. This is a CNN blog.
@9:56PM: That person who watches Chris Hayes on MSNBC, was an Anderson Cooper fan on 360. She is a regular commenter and is merely saying that the content of 360 is not to her liking and could be better.
I agree, and we've ALL been saying that for years.
I'm so SURE Anderson Cooper has a lot to learn from a homophobic, foul-tempered bigot like Alec Baldwin. First of all, Baldwin has NO right as a straight man to judge when or how Anderson came out or what AC, as a gay man, finds offensive. Anderson was right with what he said about Baldwin, he's given a pass for being a nasty, gay bashing jerk.
Great comment anon 1:01 pm.
@2:00AM: Unfortunately there are many homophobes that still exist and they watch the News, all the time. Anderson Cooper has a responsibility to report the news and not to interject his feelings on every issue that is gay and he shouldn't be using his show as a gay rights platform.
He is casting a very narrow net if he thinks that everyone who watches 360 is for gay rights.
Some are, but most people who watch the news are sorry, for this insight, straight as an arrow and are tired of hearing about this redundant discourse of discontent.
@2:00AM:" "from someone he opposes."
I guess your comprehension is limited.
I didn't mean Anderson should listen and learn from Alec Baldwin.
I meant President Obama.
Can anyone learn anything from from a ranting homophobe and you thought that was "Obama?"
Duh?
Anyone want to bet that with the low ratings Strombo won't be renewed after the initial batch of shows ??
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