ex-NBC Chief Jeff Zucker Named CNN Worldwide President

[JamesG]

Jeff Zucker Named CNN Worldwide President: Network Officially Hires Former NBC Universal Chief
The Huffington Post | by Rebecca Shapiro
11/29/2012


It's official.

Former NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker will replace CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton, who is retiring at the end of 2012. The network announced Zucker's appointment on Thursday.

The Time Warner-owned cable news network suffered form record low ratings in 2012, hitting a 20 year prime time ratings low in the spring. The original 24-hour cable news network fell into a distant third place behind rival MSNBC and cable news leader Fox News. Walton announced his resignation over the summer, saying the network needed new leadership and "new thinking."





For months, rumors swirled that Zucker was on Time Warner's short list to head the ailing cable news network. Zucker led NBC's "Today" show as executive producer from 1992-2000, turning the NBC news property into the number one program on morning television. He then rose to lead NBC Universal as president and CEO.

During his final years at NBC Universal, he was involved in the highly-publicized controversy involving the network's late night programming and hosts Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Zucker left the network shortly after the late night controversy, when Comcast acquired NBC Universal.

Most recently, Zucker served as executive producer of former "Today" co-host Katie Couric's new daytime program, "Katie".





Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that CNN planned to name Zucker as CNN Worldwide president. When Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes appeared at the Business insider Ignition conference on Wednesday, he had no comment on the network's decision but said an announcement would come soon.

On Thursday morning, CNN announced that Zucker will head the news network. In its announcement, CNN wrote that Zucker will "oversee 23 branded news and information businesses, including CNN's U.S. television network, CNN International, HLN and CNN Digital."

Zucker said he was thrilled to join CNN. "The global reach and scale of the CNN brand is unparalleled in all of news," he said.





In a memo sent to CNN staffers, Time Warner Chairman Phil Kent wrote that Zucker will head the network from New York, not from its Atlanta headquarters. Zucker will begin in the end of January.

"We have both short-term and long-term challenges ahead, from strengthening our normal news day programming to navigating through the changing consumption patterns of news," Kent wrote to staffers.

He later added, "In the meantime, I ask all of you to stay focused and please be a little patient; no one should expect overnight transformation."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1..._2211447.html?

[yankeesrj12]

The meeting at CNN:

Hey guys, I have a GREAT idea! Let's bring in the guy who screwed NBC for a few years and see if he can turn our failing network around. This idea is as good as they come and will only make our network stronger.

[TVFactFan]

Yeah seems like a odd decision since NBC hasn't been that strong over the years. But I guess Jeff sold someone at CNN that he can make it happen lol

[USATVFAN]

He is good at being a Executive Producer (He turned things around at TODAY Show quickly and made TODAY Show a massive Raitngs Success and became the most Successful Executive Producer in the show history) He just can't and doesn't know how to run a network. He should stay at Katie where he seem to be doing a decent Job.

Time to stop living on your TODAY Show success Jeff because you haven't work there for 11 Years and running a network is much different then running a news TV Show.

[AKA]

Eew. That means he's back under the same corporate umbrella as Conan.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brad

Eew. That means he's back under the same corporate umbrella as Conan.

That is so true