Chris Licht Needs to Speed Up the Transition

CNN boss Chris Licht has been given the task of trying to clean up Jeff Zucker’s mess, and so far, he’s not doing very well.

One FTVLive reader thinks that Licht’s biggest problem is he’s moving way too slowly.

Here is the reader’s take on CNN right now:

I've been watching CNN since chris licht took over and the main issue that exists is the lack of urgency to change things on the content side to establish that he is in control and the brand is moving forward. Right now it looks completely aimless and the viewer can see it so they stopped watching. It's the simple notion of you give a shit about your product then why should I? 

So clearly before new years day he couldn't make moves except be a hatchet man because then every laid off cnn employee would be able to sue. But now that it's a new year he should be making moves instead of this slow roll out of new shows etc.

For example in the last 2 weeks Camerota's show at 10PM is actually a really good show but it's harmed by carrying Lemon's old name "tonight", graphics as well as theme music. None of the branding matches the show they put on. And anyone who's worked in tv is like come on dude just upgrade the graphics, music and lighting to lighter and have a morning show feel at night. The Set is the same as Sidner's CNN+ show and they could reuse that white bright look from her CNN+ show for the 10PM hour. It would match Camerota's show perfectly on the same set (pic below). 

CBS This Morning's set color that weird tan isn't working. Why wait to change it? It looks like a school classroom. Lemon and Colins are mis-cast on the show and Jim Schutto and Sara Sidner should be cohosts with Harlow. Again why wait to make changes? 

The only way he will fix the ratings is offer a new dayside format that will feel and look like CNN's Breaking news coverage. The set for it I hope will be like MSNBC's old huge NJ "News factory" and not a small soulless satelite studio like of the Zucker years. CNN really needs this huge hub that brings most of the shows together in one space with areas for each show. 

He's not moving quick enough on the one thing he knows and that's where he's slipping with CNN. I'm saying this as a former tv producer and now a viewer. Fix the shows first and then do the website and Digital streaming to match it. It's almost April now and it looks like on air at least to viewers there's no direction. So why should they watch? It's killing there's much cool things they can do and it doesn't take months to roll it out.