Changes at the Helm of CNN Mark Thompson is taking over the leadership of CNN, replacing Christ Licht, who, since his arrival, has led to a decline in CNN’s viewership and was internally contested for, among other things, favoring a pro-Donald Trump debate. One only needs to visit CNN to see how much this media outlet has shifted into pure populism, forgetting its history. With Mark Thompson, who has previously led the BBC and The New York Times, we can hope for more rigor. This media executive has consistently managed to engage audiences and readers by introducing innovations wherever he has been.

While it’s challenging for opinion-based newspapers to stand out, we can observe that a media outlet like The Washington Post has always maintained its rigor and integrity while evolving. It’s still uncertain whether there will be changes in the editorial teams today, but such changes should be expected, as a profound restructuring seems necessary. Nevertheless, the main journalists on air shouldn’t suffer from these potential reshufflings, as the primary task for Mark Thompson will be to focus on the editorial direction. On that front, the challenge appears immense in order to restore credibility to the TV channel. The editorial direction of the website will likely need a comprehensive revision as well.

With the upcoming Trump trial, CNN will be closely scrutinized by the profession. What will be the editorial perspective? If journalistic rigor makes a comeback, the gamble will pay off; otherwise, viewers will turn elsewhere. In today’s world, we know that readers and viewers are very fickle. Regarding aspects that could help retain viewers, offering free and unrestricted streaming of the channel online on the website would be a plus. We can probably already find reassurance in Mark Thompson’s statement: “The world more than ever needs reliable and accurate information, and we have more means than ever to meet this need at home and abroad.” According to our information, Mark Thompson will assume his role on October 9th. We wish him every success.

Thierry De Clemensat

Editor in chief

Bayou Blue Radio/Bayou Blue News