Jeff Zucker’s Ouster: The Probe, The Relationship, The Lawyer’s Letter & The Phone Call That Led To CNN CEO’s Shocking Exit
deadline.comJeff Zucker’s surprise resignation from CNN on Wednesday quickly triggered puzzled questions over just what led to his ouster after revelations of his relationship with Allison Gollust, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for CNN Worldwide.One CNN anchor, Alisyn Camerota, even said on air that it “feels wrong” that two consenting adults, who are both executives, could not have a private relationship.But the relationship itself is not what triggered WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar’s call to Zucker in recent days informing him that he had to exit or face termination, we’ve learned.
Rather, it was Zucker’s failure to disclose the relationship, in violation of WarnerMedia policy. Mere days after Kilar was informed of Zucker’s omissions by outside lawyers probing the now-fired Chris Cuomo’s stint at CNN, the exec called Zucker and told him, “You can’t remain here.”The stern and brief exchange between Kilar and Zucker was the climax of a never smooth relationship between the one-time Hulu CEO and the ex-NBCUniversal CEO. “They weren’t fire and ice, they were fire and gasoline,” one CNN insider said of Kilar and Zucker’s interaction since the former took over as the latter’s boss upon being named WarnerMedia CEO in May 2020 by soon-to-be AT&T CEO John Stankey.Zucker was not pleased at all when a reorganization at WarnerMedia in the early fall of 2020 split who Gollust reported to, insiders tell us.
In her marketing role, Gollust still answered directly to the CNN president, but in her communications position, the exec reported to WarnerMedia’s EVP Christy Haubegger.
Golliust currently remains in her CNN gig.Meanwhile, at even higher levels, there has been a heavy dose of consternation surrounding Zucker’s exit, given the pending
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