It appears increasingly likely that Jeff Zucker will step down as CNN president, with Vanity Fair reporting on Friday that it could happen early next year.
According to the report, which cites someone familiar with the matter, Zucker is widely expected in the senior ranks at WarnerMedia to step down sometime during the first quarter of next year. It would not come until after President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, though the article cautions that nothing is set in stone. His contract doesn’t end until late next year.
A rep for CNN did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Vanity Fair’s report follows an earlier story in the Wall Street Journal that described Zucker’s future at CNN as cloudy. Both reports cite friction between Zucker and WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, who took over in May.
Zucker has been president of CNN since 2013 and has turned the once-languishing cable news network around in the ratings, especially during the Trump presidency, as it has frequently tussled with his administration. Last year Zucker added oversight of sports for WarnerMedia following Turner president David Levy’s departure.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Wrap