Do the news or get fired.
That’s reportedly the message to CNN’s top talent since new CEO Chris Licht took over — and it’s about to take effect.
Licht is reportedly “evaluating” the network’s top talent — namely stars Brian Stelter and Jim Acosta — to see if they can stop being partisan and far-left.
“If talent cannot adjust to a less partisan tone and strategy, they could be ousted,” Axios reported three sources told them.
That doesn’t mean their reporting will be unbiased and straightforward, of course.
“Licht doesn’t want to necessarily shy away from personality programming, especially in prime time, but he wants to ensure that partisan voices don’t dominate in a way that harms CNN,” Axios reported.
Former CEO Jeff Zucker was forced out as CNN chief earlier this year for violating corporate rules by not telling his superiors about a romantic relationship with Allison Gollust, a top CNN marketing executive. Gollust was later herself pushed out.
Zucker was a hands-on executive who guided CNN through years when it was targeted for criticism by former President Donald Trump, and many of his employees were intensely loyal.
During Zucker’s tenure, several CNN personalities became aggressively opinionated on the air.
Licht has promised to reset things and restore CNN’s reputation. CNN’s television network has lost significant popularity since a ratings peak during the Trump presidency.
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The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article