BuzzFeed Chairman Ken Lerer to Step Down

Ken Lerer is stepping down as chairman of BuzzFeed, the digital publisher he has overseen for the last 10 years.

Lerer is departing for personal reasons in order to pursue other projects and focus on his venture fund, an individual with knowledge of his decision told TheWrap. The board has not determined whether it will name a new chairman. Co-founder Jonah Peretti remains as CEO.

Lerer is leaving during a bit of rocky time for the 12-year old publisher. Earlier this year, BuzzFeed laid off around 200 people — 15% of its staff — which gutted the national news and national security desks, while the LGBT beat was trimmed to a single staffer.

The company made over $300 million in revenue in 2018 and is on track to become profitable in 2020, the individual added.

The company is also in a heated battle with its employees over their newly formed union, which BuzzFeed has not yet formally recognized.

Also Read: Bernie Sanders Rebukes BuzzFeed for 'Stalling Tactics' in Union Negotiations

Last week, numerous BuzzFeed staffers staged a walkout to protest the company’s delay in recognizing the BuzzFeed News Union.

Lerer is managing director of his venture fund Lerer Hippeau. BuzzFeed is the second board that Lerer has exited recently, following his departure as Viacom’s director last year. Lerer Hippeau’s other media investments include Axios, Brat, Group Nine Media and Refinery29. Lerer sits on the board of Group Nine, which is owned by Discovery Communications, where his son, Ben, is the CEO. His daughter, Izzie, runs The Dodo, Group Nine’s animal-themed vertical.

Lerer has been one of the early pioneers of the digital-native news business. He co-founded the Huffington Post with Peretti and Ariana Huffington. He invested in BuzzFeed after Peretti left Huffington Post, and became chairman.

Axios first reported the news of Lerer stepping down.

Fall TV Premieres: Here's When All Your Favorite Broadcast Shows Will Return (Photos)

Summer may have just begun, but we're already looking ahead to autumn, as the broadcast networks have set their Fall TV premiere dates. Click through TheWrap's gallery to see when all of your favorite ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW series are coming back in the later months of the year.

Also Read: Fall TV 2019 Premiere Dates: The Complete List of New and Returning Shows (Updating)
The CW/CBS/NBC
Series: "Dancing With the Stars" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "9-1-1" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 23 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "The Neighborhood" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 23 Time: 8 p.m.

Also Read: CBS Fall Premiere Dates 2019: Five New Shows to Debut in September
CBS
Series: "The Voice" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 23 Time: 8 p.m.

Also Read: NBC Sets Fall Premiere Dates: See When ‘The Voice,’ ‘This Is Us’ and ‘The Good Place’ Return
NBC
Series: "Bull" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 23 Time: 10 p.m.

Also Read: ‘The Good Fight’ Creators on What ‘Nasty Things’ CBS Let Them Keep for the Broadcast Version of Season 1
CBS
Series: "The Good Doctor" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 23 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Resident" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "NCIS" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 8 p.m.

Also Read: Ratings: Gary Woodland’s US Open Victory Tees Up Father’s Day Win for Fox
CBS
Series: "The Conners" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Bless This Mess" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 8:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "This Is Us" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 9 p.m.

Also Read: ‘This Is Us’ Renewed for 3 More Seasons by NBC
NBC
Series: "FBI" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 9 p.m.

Also Read: Fall TV 2019: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered So Far (Updating)
CBS
Series: "Empire" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "black-ish" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 9:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "NCIS: New Orleans" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 10 p.m.

Also Read: The CW Sets Fall Premiere Dates: Here’s When ‘Batwoman’ Premieres and ‘Riverdale’ Returns
CBS
Series: "New Amsterdam" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 24 Time: 10 p.m.

Also Read: Ratings: NBC’s ‘New Amsterdam’ Season Finale Grows, Other Broadcast Ones Don’t
NBC
Series: "The Masked Singer" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "The Goldbergs" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Survivor" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 8 p.m.* *Time slot premiere: Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.

Also Read: 26 Bonkers Reality Competition Shows You Forgot Existed (Photos)
CBS
Series: "Chicago Med" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Schooled" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 8:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Chicago Fire" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Modern Family" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Single Parents" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 9:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Chicago P.D." Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25 Time: 10 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Superstore" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Grey's Anatomy" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Young Sheldon" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Mom" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "The Good Place" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "A Million Little Things" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Law & Order: SVU" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 10 p.m.
NBC
Series: "How to Get Away With Murder" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 26 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Hawaii Five-0" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 27 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "American Housewife" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 27 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Fresh Off the Boat" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 27 Time: 8:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Magnum P.I." Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 27 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Blue Bloods" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 27 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "America's Funniest Home Videos" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 7 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Simpsons" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "God Friended Me" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 8:30 p.m.* *Time slot premiere: Sunday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Bob's Burgers" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Shark Tank" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "NCIS: Los Angeles" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 9:30 p.m.* *Time slot premiere: Sunday, Oct. 6 at 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Family Guy" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 9:30 p.m.
Fox
Series: "The Rookie" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "SEAL Team" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 2 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "S.W.A.T." Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 2 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "The Blacklist" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 4 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Supergirl" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Madam Secretary" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "All American" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Monday, Oct. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Black Lightning" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Monday, Oct. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "The Flash" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Riverdale" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Supernatural" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 10 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Legacies" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 10 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Charmed" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 11 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Dynasty" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 11 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Arrow" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 15 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW

1 of 61

From ”Arrow“ to ”Young Sheldon,“ TheWrap has your important small-screen dates

Summer may have just begun, but we're already looking ahead to autumn, as the broadcast networks have set their Fall TV premiere dates. Click through TheWrap's gallery to see when all of your favorite ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW series are coming back in the later months of the year.

Also Read: Fall TV 2019 Premiere Dates: The Complete List of New and Returning Shows (Updating)

View In Gallery

Fall TV Premieres: Here's When All Your Favorite Broadcast Shows Will Return (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL