Tag: chris licht

Don Lemon returning to CNN show Wednesday after ‘frank’ talk with boss

CNN anchor Don Lemon will be back on the air Wednesday morning and will undergo “formal training” after his return over sexist comments he made last week, according to multiple reports.

The development was shared with staff in a Monday night memo from CNN boss Chris Licht, who said he had a “frank and meaningful conversation” with Lemon, who’s been absent as co-host of “CNN This Morning” since last Friday.

A day earlier, Lemon controversially remarked on air that 51-year-old GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime.”

Lemon’s comments drew immediate blowback and he didn’t appear on the show with co-hosts Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow Friday or Monday, but will be back Wednesday, per the internal memo viewed by the Wall Street Journal.


CNN boss Chris Licht said he and Don Lemon had a “frank and meaningful conversation” about the remarks toward Haley.
Getty Images for CNN

Licht said in the memo Lemon will “participate in formal training,” after he’s back, according to the newspaper.

“I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation. He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously,” Licht said in the memo obtained by Fox News Digital. 


Don Lemon will return to CNN television Wednesday morning following his brief hiatus.
Don Lemon will return to CNN television Wednesday morning following his brief hiatus.
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“It is important to me that CNN balances accountability with a fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes. To that end, Don will return to CNN This Morning on Wednesday,” Licht additionally said, according to Fox News.

Lemon’s comments came after he responded to Haley’s call for mental competency tests for politicians older than 75 during her presidential kickoff last Wednesday.

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” Lemon said. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry — when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”


Don Lemon made a brief comment about Nikki Haley’s proposal on politicians older than 75 needing to take competency tests.
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag

Lemon apologized later that day on Twitter, and then to CNN staff on a call Friday. On that same call, Licht called Lemon’s statements “unacceptable.”

A CNN spokesperson told the New York Times Monday night that “the company has a number of resources and Don is committed to our recommendation.”

The spokesperson did not say more because it is a personnel matter.

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CNN begins slashing workers as Chris Licht cuts costs: report

CNN began a long-expected round of layoffs on Wednesday as president Chris Licht and other executives at WarnerBros. Discovery trim costs at the struggling cable news network.

Licht informed CNN employees of the cuts in a memo and acknowledged “it will be a difficult time for everyone” at the company.

“It is incredibly hard to say goodbye to any one member of the CNN team, much less many. I recently described this process as a gut punch, because I know that is how it feels for all of us,” Licht said in the memo, which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Licht said the pink slips would begin with “a limited number of individuals, largely some of our paid contributors” on Wednesday as part of a “recalibrated reporting strategy.” The company will begin notifying other impacted employees on Thursday, with additional detail from Licht on CNN’s next steps to follow by that afternoon.

CNN’s Chris Licht has warned for weeks that layoffs were coming.
Getty Images for Warner Bros. Di

It wasn’t immediately clear how many CNN employees are being laid off. The Post has reached out to CNN for further comment.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

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CNN taps Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow to anchor morning show

Ratings-challenged CNN will reshuffle the deck chairs on the slowly-sinking network, pushing out left-leaning primetime host Don Lemon from his plum solo slot to a newly-created morning team, boss Chris Licht announced Thursday.

Lemon will join Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow to replace current “New Day” hosts John Berman and Brianna Keilar.

Lemon’s long-anticipated demotion comes after Licht was tasked by new corporate overlord Warner Bros. Discovery to shift CNN away from opinion-based shows to more centrist reporting of the news.

Last month, the network canned Brian Stelter, the outspoken host of the now canceled “Reliable Sources.”

Lemon — who often espoused his liberal opinions on his 10 pm show “Don Lemon Tonight” — helmed the lowest-ranked program in primetime in August, averaging 660,000 viewers to finish a distant third to Fox and MSNBC.

Kaitlin Collins and Don Lemon will be join Poppy Harlow as co-hosts of CNN’s new morning show.
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A rep for CNN said the network will be making an announcement on who will replace Lemon in the next few weeks.

Insiders have earmarked Kasie Hunt as a possible replacement for Lemon, or for the 9 p.m. slot, which was left open when Chris Cuomo was fired last year over his role in advising his older brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his sex harassment scandal.

Poppy Harlow, who has filled in at “New Day,” will co-host the new morning show.
Getty Images for TIME

Sources recently told The Post that Licht “has his work cut out for him” as he tries to pump up the network’s ratings.

In August, Fox News dominated with nine shows making the top 10 highest-rated cable news shows. Only MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow pulled out a fifth-place ranking with 2.7 million viewers, lagging behind Fox’s “The Five” (3.4 million), “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (3.3 million), “Hannity” (2.9 million) and “Jesse Watters Primetime” (2.9 million).

The only CNN show to crack the top 25 was “Anderson Cooper 360” — in 25th place with 950,000 viewers.

Meanwhile, “New Day,” came in 42nd place out of 82 cable news shows, bringing in 396,000 total viewers.

CNN did not provide a start date for the changes but said it will rename “New Day” and update its set later this year. Berman and Keilar will remain at the network, Licht said.

Don Lemon is moved to the morning show as ratings at his primetime show continued to sink.
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The exec is known for his previous success launching MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and revamping CBS’ morning show, which was then called “CBS This Morning.” Both shows brought about a lively conversation about current topics and news of the day with a broad selection of guests.

“There is no stronger combination of talent than Don, Poppy and Kaitlan to deliver on our promise of a game-changing morning news program,” Licht said Thursday. “They are each uniquely intelligent, reliable and compelling; together they have a rare and palpable chemistry. Combined with CNN’s resources and global newsgathering capabilities, we will offer a smart, bold and refreshing way to start the day.”

Harlow has most recently served as an anchor of “CNN Newsroom,” as well as a relief presenter at “New Day,” while Collins served as a White House correspondent for the network.

The rejuggling also comes after Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said he is looking  to shore up at least $3 billion in cost savings in 2023 across the company. Earlier this year, the parent company shuttered CNN+, the network’s month-old streaming service, laying off roughly 300 staffers.

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