A new report is shedding light on the "shattered friendships" between Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and his ousted CNN employees, particularly the liberal network's ex-president, Jeff Zucker.
The New York Times offered a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes drama that took place at the liberal network as Zaslav, who had been running Discovery before his company had merged with WarnerMedia, which included CNN with Zucker at its helm, in 2022.
Despite having a tight relationship with Zucker, Zaslav had been having discussions with his "protégé," longtime TV producer Chris Licht, to take over CNN in late 2021, according to the Times, as part of the effort to make the network nonpartisan. It was a direct contradiction to Zucker's leadership in transforming the CNN into a partisan, anti-Trump news organization.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, right, reportedly "belittled" ex-CNN boss Jeff Zucker after the two met to "clear the air" following Zucker's ousting from the liberal network. (Mike Coppola/Getty Image)
While corporate attitudes signaled to Zaslav that Zucker would not have a long future at CNN following the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, Zucker was ultimately forced to resign in February 2022 for failing to disclose his romantic relationship with a top CNN executive.
In March 2023, roughly a year later with virtually zero contact, Zaslav and Zucker had an impromptu meeting in order to "clear the air" after the two media moguls coincidentally checked into the same hotel in Miami Beach, the Times reported.
"Mr. Zucker told Mr. Zaslav that he had just come through a difficult period, perhaps the worst of his life, and said his closest friends were there for him, according to several people briefed on the conversation. ‘The one who wasn’t there …,’ Mr. Zucker said before Mr. Zaslav finished the sentence: ‘Was me,’" the Times wrote.
"Mr. Zaslav maintained that he couldn’t reach out because the merger hadn’t closed, and it might appear that he was interfering. Mr. Zucker said he didn’t want Mr. Zaslav to interfere. He wanted him to call and say he was thinking of him and felt bad for him. For his part, Mr. Zaslav complained that Mr. Zucker was telling people that Mr. Zaslav was behind his removal. That wasn’t true, Mr. Zaslav said, and told Mr. Zucker that he had to let that go."
Former CNN boss Jeff Zucker was reportedly hurt when he didn't hear from his "friend" David Zaslav after he was forced to resign from the network in February 2022. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
While Zaslav reportedly thanked Zucker and texted him "Let's move forward" after their encounter, he reportedly "belittled" the ousted CNN boss behind his back.
"But in a call with Mr. Licht after the meeting, Mr. Zaslav belittled Mr. Zucker as a weakling who had tears in his eyes, several people with knowledge of the conversation said. ‘Can you believe this?’ Mr. Zaslav asked, injecting an expletive," the Times reported, adding that the two men "have only occasionally spoken since."
Zucker wasn't Zaslav's only friendship that had soured since the corporate takeover. Despite having "regular breakfasts and lunches" with "Reliable Sources" host Brian Stelter, Zaslav "didn’t intervene" when then-CNN boss Licht chose to pull him off the air in August 2022.
The corporate honcho was also cozy with left-wing anchor Don Lemon but was reportedly ready for him to go after his infamous "past her prime" comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley in February, demanding, "Why hasn’t he been fired?" Lemon was eventually fired in April.
However, according to the Times, Zaslav "blamed Mr. Licht for the outcome" when the two of them met after Lemon's firing, adding the two "no longer socialize."
Zaslav reportedly blamed then-CNN boss Chris Licht for Don Lemon's firing despite demanding it after the liberal host's infamous "past her prime" comments about GOP hopeful Nikki Haley. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for THR)
Things also got frosty between Zaslav and Licht shortly after Licht took over as CEO of CNN, with Zaslav telling him at the time, "We’ve been friends for 15 years. We’re not friends anymore. You work for me."
Last year, Zaslav reportedly "lost his temper" at Licht for having gone on a corporate-approved trip to Abu Dhabi amid reports about CNN banning hosts from drinking alcohol during the network's New Year's Eve coverage, telling him, "Where are you?… Why are you in Abu Dhabi? You need to be back." Licht quickly returned. He also initially praised the town hall with former President Donald Trump in May that infuriated liberals before that "enthusiasm cooled," the Times reported.
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Warner Bros. Discovery did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. A spokesperson issued a statement to the Times side-stepping the claims about Zaslav's fraught relationships, telling the paper, "The network continues to make meaningful strides in transforming itself for the future under the leadership of new chairman and C.E.O., Mark Thompson."
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