New Report Reveals Who May Be Next On The CNN Chopping Block

It appears as though CNN boss Chris Licht’s changes to the network’s programming and line-up are just beginning.

A day after “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter signed off his last program at the network, a new report says Licht is far from through with making alterations.

The report also comes after Licht issued a cryptic warning during an editorial staff phone call on Friday.

“I want to acknowledge that this is a time of significant change, and I know that many of you are unsettled,” Licht said, according to several who attended Friday’s editorial call, The Hollywood Reporter noted. “There will be more changes, and you might not understand it or like it.”

Licht, who replaced Jeff Zucker at the helm of CNN earlier this year, began evaluating the extremely partisan on-air talent shortly after he took over. And the phone call on Friday comes on the heels of news that one of the network’s hosts, Brian Stelter — whose weekly “Reliable Sources” program has seen tanking ratings for more than a year — was leaving after his show was reportedly canceled.

“No one is safe or secure right now,” one source on the phone call told the outlet Deadline.

“I think people are legitimately sad that Brian is leaving,” one staffer at CNN told the Hollywood Reporter, anonymously. “He was a big presence at the network — but understand that Chris has to put his stamp on the network.”

Now, according to RadarOnline, changes are coming to the flagging “New Day” morning show.

The Daily Wire reports:

It will be replaced by a roundtable-type program patterned after MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” possibly hosted by Jake Tapper, according to RadarOnline. Licht has reportedly tried to hire “Morning Joe” husband-wife hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski away from the rival liberal cable news network.

“Chris comes from the same breeding ground as [former CNN boss Jeff] Zucker: morning television,” a CNN insider told RadarOnline. “He wants to establish a popular morning show that sets the agenda for the network each day. He doesn’t want to change anchors frequently. He wants strength and stability — and believes it all starts in the all-important morning timeslot.”

“New Day” was launched by Zucker in 2013. It first featured hosts Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira, with “blue-pilled former Fox News host Alisyn Camerota” later joining the show, The Daily Wire noted. Camerota was eventually replaced as well; the current hosting duo consists of Brianna Keilar and John Berman.

One CNN insider told Deadline that the decision to dismiss Stelter and cancel his program was “coming from above.”

“If this isn’t coming from John Malone directly, it sure represents his thinking with lieutenants doing his bidding,” the insider noted further.

Licht told CNN employees and talent earlier this summer that he was aware the network had experienced massive changes in a short period of time, what with Zucker being terminated along with host Chris Cuomo amid scandal.

“You heard me say in my first town hall that I am going to make decisions slower than some would like,” Licht said then. “I know this organization has been through tremendous change over the last four months, which is why I am approaching this process slowly and thoughtfully as we look at all parts of the operation. We will realign where it makes sense to best serve our people and the business.”

Media insider Jon Nicosia also dropped some names as to who may be leaving CNN next.

“Source: Once the coming shakeup at @CNN is done, don’t expect John Berman, Alisyn Camerota, Jim Acosta, Brianna Keilar, Jake Tapper, John King, and Don Lemon to still be at the network OR have their current show assignments,” he wrote, citing the source.

Source: Once the coming shakeup at @CNN is done, don't expect John Berman, Alisyn Camerota, Jim Acosta, Brianna Keilar, Jake Tapper, John King, and Don Lemon to still be at the network OR have their current show assignments."

— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) August 19, 2022

Last week, another noted CNN contributor and personality is leaving the scandal-rocked network.

Longtime legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who recently survived a masturbation episode that led to his firing from New York Magazine, has announced he is leaving the legacy news network.

Toobin abruptly made his announcement on Friday as it looked as though CNN was not likely to renew his contract, Deadline reported.