CNN chief Jeff Zucker will take a six-week leave of absence so that he can undergo heart surgery, the network’s senior media reporter Brian Stelter said on Twitter Thursday.
“Jeff Zucker just ended the CNN morning meeting with news of his own: He will be taking a six week leave for elective surgery to address a heart condition he has had for 10 years,” Stelter wrote. “He assured everyone he is going to be just fine. All of us are wishing him a very speedy recovery.”
Jeff Zucker just ended the CNN morning meeting with news of his own: He will be taking a six week leave for elective surgery to address a heart condition he has had for 10 years. He assured everyone he is going to be just fine. All of us are wishing him a very speedy recovery.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 19, 2018
CNN confirmed the news but declined to offer any additional comment. A person familiar with the matter said that during Zucker’s absence, his responsibilities on editorial would be handled by Michael Bass, the channel’s executive vice president of programming. Zucker’s management team would also pick up additional responsibilities.
Despite lingering questions about the channel’s ratings performance, the CNN boss is currently flying high. His new bosses at AT&T gave him a big vote of confidence last month, renewing his contract to lead the network through the 2020 elections.