Is CNN Finished? Ex-CEO Plans to Enact 'Ultimate Revenge' Plot by End of the Year - Report
The old proverb tells us that vengeance is a dish best served cold –which means it’s better to wait a while to cool off before you start plotting revenge.
However, former CNN CEO Jeff Zucker may not be willing to wait that long.
According to a New York Post report, there is growing speculation that Warner Bros. Discovery may sell CNN in the near future and that Zucker is considering making a bid to purchase CNN this fall, seeing an opportunity to lead the network ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Zucker resigned from the network in February 2022 amidst revelations of an inappropriate relationship with his subordinate, Allison Gollust, the network’s chief marketing officer.
This month, CNN CEO Chris Licht, was fired from his position after attempting to shift the network toward a more centrist position. Insiders speculate that Licht’s dismissal indicates Warner Bros. Discovery’s preparation for a potential sale of the cable news network.
According to the New York Post, sources known to Zucker say that he “holds a grudge” and will find a way to “be back on top.”
If Zucker were to buy and regain control of the network, it would be the “ultimate revenge” for his ousting.
CNN for Sale? Speculation That Ousted Former CEO Jeff Zucker Mulling Purchase as “Ultimate Revenge” https://t.co/MsryP985qn
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) June 22, 2023
Zucker is currently the CEO of RedBird IMI, which includes RedBird Capital Partners and International Media Investments, based in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The firm has $1 billion in capital, and sources suggest that Abu Dhabi is willing to invest billions more for the right deal.
CNN’s profits declined from approximately $1.25 billion to $750 million last year, as reported by the New York Times.
At the same time, Warner Bros. Discovery has been implementing cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and reduced spending on content, in an effort to address its substantial $50 billion debt burden, the Post reported.
Given these financial challenges, insiders speculate that a potential sale of CNN could take place in 2024. The combination of CNN’s declining profits and Warner Bros. Discovery’s need to alleviate its debt burden may create favorable conditions for such a transaction, according to sources. However, the ultimate decision regarding a CNN sale and the exact timeline for it remain uncertain.
CNN has historically been associated with a liberal perspective, tracing back to its founder, Ted Turner, who is known for his strong left-wing views.
However, CNN was initially established as a news network, and not as the virtual arm of the Democrat Party, as it is now.
In a 2019 monologue on his former Fox News show, Tucker Carlson laid the blame for the transformation of CNN squarely on Jeff Zucker’s shoulders.
“Since Zucker took over CNN almost seven years ago, it often feels like every segment on that channel is choreographed for maximum political effect. If you have ever seen it, you know exactly what we’re saying,” Carlson said.
Carlson said it was Zucker who told his employees that “no matter what else is going on in the world, the impeachment of Donald Trump… is nevertheless the only story that really matters.”
The @realDonaldTrump campaign has sued @CNN and cited @Project_Veritas #ExposeCNN tapes of CNN President Jeff Zucker instructing his staff to stay focused on impeachment as well as other network employees complaining of the networks biased reporting pic.twitter.com/KKfaK6hvgW
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 6, 2020
Even after Zucker’s exit, CNN has resisted any changes toward a more centrist position, firing CEO Chris Licht, only 13 months after he was hired, for attempting to change their far-left positions.
But if a vengeful and determined Zucker regains CNN in time for the 2024 elections, it defies imagination what the network can possibly become.
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