Jake Tapper Admits Morale at CNN 'Hasn't Been Better in Years' After Network Boss Chris Licht Was Fired
CNN star Jake Tapper admitted this week that morale at the struggling news network “hasn’t been better in years” following Christ Licht’s ousting last month, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Tapper acknowledged the positive change in morale at CNN during an appearance on journalist Kara Swisher’s podcast, On with Kara Swisher, released on Monday morning.
Although Tapper stopped short of saying whether he believed Licht’s firing last month was the “right thing to do,” the 54-year-old CNN host did admit that “things [at the network] are really good right now” and the focus of the outlet’s work is “back on journalism.”
“I’m not here to judge whether the firing was the right thing to do,” Tapper told Swisher during her podcast. “I’m bummed that it didn’t work out with Chris. I am. I’m bummed that it didn’t work out.”
“But I will say that things are really good right now,” he continued. “And this leadership team […] I think they’re doing a great job and the focus is back on our journalism, not on palace intrigue and not on media criticism. And morale hasn’t been better in years.”
Still, Tapper spoke highly of Licht and recognized that – following Jeff Zucker’s departure from the network in February 2022 – Licht was the “best” person for the job.
“I will say that I’ve known Chris for a long time,” Tapper said. “I’ve known him since he was at CBS News. And I was very excited when he came because I thought that he would be good.”
“At that point Zucker had already left, and I adored Jeff, and I would like for Jeff not to have left, but he did,” he continued. “So I was in a new reality and the reality was, well, who are they gonna pick?”
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“And I’d heard a lot of names, some of whom I knew, some of whom I knew by reputation, and Chris was, without question, the best name I heard. And I was excited about it.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Licht was ultimately fired from his role as CEO of CNN on June 7.
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Licht’s departure came days after the Atlantic published a “blistering” and “embarrassing” 15,000-word profile on the now-former CNN CEO, and staffers at the network complained about Licht in the weeks and months leading up to his resignation.
“Morale is at an all-time low,” one network source said in November while citing what they called a “crisis of communication” between network upper management and the employees. “It’s worse than it has ever been.”
Licht’s reputation at CNN deteriorated further after he decided to host a town hall event with former President Donald Trump in May.