CEO Mark Thompson taps heir apparent in shakeup – Business News
CNN boss Mark Thompson has quietly anointed a prime lieutenant as his probably successor.
Alex MacCallum, CNN’s digital chief who labored beneath Thompson when he ran The New York Times Company, has been tapped because the left-leaning cable community’s new chief working officer.
Thompson circulated a memo to staffers asserting the transfer earlier this week, in accordance with the Status publication.
CNN digital chief Alex MacCallum (seen far proper alongside Maya Voelk, middle, and Omar Jimenez) has been tapped as chief working officer, positioning her as a probably successor to CEO Mark Thompson. Getty Images for CNN
The transfer is probably going a blow to different prime brass — together with government editor Virginia Moseley, who had long been seen internally as a main contender for the highest job, Status reported.
In January 2024, The Post reported that rank-and-file staffers at CNN had been sad that Moseley was elevated by Thompson to function government editor.
“‘Tyrant’ is the word that you hear used the most to describe her,” a source informed The Post on the time.
“She has reduced reporters and producers to tears. She fires before she aims.”
The shake-up comes at a crucial second for CNN because it grapples with declining cable revenues and seeks to reinvent itself as a subscription-driven digital information operation — and as employees prepared for Paramount Skydance to buy the information org’s mother or father company Warner Bros. Discovery.
CNN government editor Virginia Moseley had been seen internally as a main contender for the highest job earlier than the shake-up. Getty Images for CAA
Thompson has been overhauling CNN with an “audience-first” push into digital subscriptions and streaming — a strategy that has included layoffs, restructuring and a renewed direct-to-consumer push.
MacCallum has been on the middle of that effort, overseeing CNN’s digital merchandise and serving to launch its subscription and streaming companies.
She was initially employed by then-CNN President Jeff Zucker to help construct CNN+, the community’s short-lived and ill-fated streaming service.
MacCallum later returned beneath Thompson to steer its digital push.
In his memo, Thompson praised her “impressive set of critical accomplishments,” crediting her with building a “world-class digital operation” and launching CNN’s direct-to-consumer subscription business.
CNN chief Mark Thompson is reshaping the community’s management as he pushes a digital overhaul. Getty Images for Semafor
“In a remarkable two-year run back at CNN, Alex has already achieved an impressive set of critical accomplishments in record time,” Thompson wrote in the memo circulated to staffers on Wednesday.
“On top of building a world-class digital operation and transforming our core products, she’s led and launched a direct-to-consumer sub business, assembled a set of outstanding leaders in audience, data, product and tech, engagement and monetization, and has built excellent collaborative working relationships with all of CNN’s other top leaders.”
MacCallum (middle) has been on the middle of CNN’s digital overhaul, overseeing subscription and streaming efforts beneath Mark Thompson. Laura Thompson/Shutterstock for AWNewYork
The C-suite drama unfolds in opposition to a backdrop of uncertainty over the community’s future possession and the attainable implications for Thompson’s tenure.
In February, Paramount Skydance agreed to amass Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal valued at about $31 per share, or roughly $110 billion, bringing main belongings together with CNN, HBO and the Warner Bros. studio beneath the control of Paramount CEO David Ellison.
Moseley’s standing at CNN has been beneath scrutiny following inner backlash from staffers. CNN
The proposed deal has rattled CNN’s newsroom, with staffers raising considerations about editorial independence and the community’s destiny beneath new possession.
Thompson has sought to reassure journalists in current conferences, telling employees he stays dedicated to CNN and intends to remain on because the company navigates the transition to new possession, which nonetheless wants regulatory approval.
But unease persists internally, fueled by Paramount’s current strikes at CBS News — together with layoffs and management modifications — in addition to broader questions on how a mixed media empire beneath Ellison would reshape CNN.
A CNN spokesperson declined to remark.
