The Rise and Fall of Chris Licht at CNN

CNN experienced a nearly 40% drop in digital and on-air advertising revenue through the first four months of 2023 compared to the same period last year, which was before Chris Licht took over as network chief. According to data compiled by advertising research firm MediaRadar, over 2,000 companies spent $312.6 million on digital and television advertising with CNN through April 2023, a year-over-year decrease of 39%. The network also saw a drop in television ratings, losing not just advertising dollars, but advertisers in general. Major corporations such as Thumbtack, The Walt Disney Company, Apple and Cisco Systems have all dropped their ad expenditures with CNN by 90% year-over-year, according to MediaRadar.