David Leavy, a trusted adviser to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav for many years, was appointed chief operating officer of CNN on Thursday. Chris Licht, CNN’s CEO, may now be able to concentrate more on news programming, but there may now be greater scrutiny of the news organization’s operations within the purview of its corporate parent.
Deep Operational Experience
Leavy, who has spent 23 years working for Warner Bros. Discovery and its forerunner organizations, will be in charge of all commercial, operational, and promotional initiatives across CNN Worldwide and will be under Licht’s direction. The new executive’s hiring comes as CNN battles a sharp decline in viewership and a recalibration of the activist tone it adopted under the leadership of its previous chief, Jeff Zucker.
In a prepared statement, Licht said, “David’s deep operational experience, institutional knowledge, and key industry relationships perfectly complement the strengths of our leadership team.” He is a visionary, adaptable, and energetic CEO who will collaborate with me and the senior leadership team to help transform our business as we launch the entire slate of programming, develop our digital strategy, and expand the global reach of the CNN brand. I can’t wait for David to join me and the CNN team since everyone who works with him has experienced how his enthusiasm, work ethic, and collaborative attitude positively benefit an organization.
Aggressive Listening Tour
According to a person familiar with the situation, Leavy has been supporting Licht in recent weeks in his search for a new operating chief. Leavy will be stationed in CNN’s Washington office and is scheduled to begin working on June 20. I’d like to enter with an open mind. I have a lot to learn, and in the coming weeks, I’m going to go on an aggressive listening tour to discover where I can add the most value,” the executive adds in a quick interview.
In his first year in charge, Licht has worked to tone down an emotionally charged, even swashbuckling news report in favor of focusing on breaking news and securing interviews with newsmakers from a wider range of backgrounds. CNN now regularly hosts both Democrats and Republicans thanks to Licht’s leadership. Donald Trump’s recent town hall received criticism for giving him a platform to spew misinformation. The majority of CNN’s schedule has also been changed by Licht, who has included additional daytime and evening programs. Soon, a brand-new 9 p.m. show hosted by Kaitlan Collins will make its premiere.
