In a shocking move, CNN’s Jeff Zucker, who has headed the network for nine years, has resigned after revelations emerged of an inappropriate workplace relationship. According to what appears to be an internal email, Zucker was required to disclose the relationship, which he describes as being with his “closest colleague,” but didn’t do so.
The name of the woman involved was not given by Zucker, but it is reportedly Allison Gollust, who will remain in her position as the chief marketing officer for the liberal network.
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING: Jeff Zucker just resigned from CNN due to a relationship with a colleague revealed as part of the investigation into Cuomo. pic.twitter.com/f09rm4HVQd
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 2, 2022
As to the implications of this, it’s another black eye for a news organization that has been pummeled with scandals over the last several years. Some recent examples include legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin getting caught pleasuring himself on a work Zoom call, and former host Chris Cuomo’s sexual harassment revelations. Host Don Lemon has also been accused of sexual assault. Then there are all the credibility concerns from bad reporting that have further lowered the network’s standing.
CNN has tried to deflect from those problems by attacking Fox News, but it hasn’t gained them any traction. CNN’s ratings are cratering, with their primetime shows struggling to break half a million viewers.
And that’s likely the real reason Zucker is resigning. If the situation is as he describes (consensual), there’s little reason to believe it was the catalyst for this move. But with CNN gaining new ownership and the threat of major changes on the horizon, Zucker may have felt it was best to go ahead and leave before he got fired for his lack of performance.
Or, and this is a distinct possibility, there’s more to this story than Zucker is admitting right now about his actions toward women at the network. We’ll have to see how things develop in the future.
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