Report: How Jeff Zucker Is Making CNN Great Again

In a major sit-down interview with Variety, CNN's JeffZucker was often cautious in his answers. He refused to bite on a question about whether he thought the abrupt exit of Roger Ailes last month, following a string of sexual-harassment allegations, would give CNN a decided edge over its biggest rival, Fox News. “It’s certainly not something we expected to happen,” was all he would say. “We’re going to continue to be focused on what we’re doing.”

Under Zucker’s reign, the news network has become the second most-watched cable news channel on TV, ahead of MSNBC and closing the gap with Fox News. And during the broadcast coverage block of both the Democratic and Republican conventions, CNN topped its cable rivals and the big-three broadcasters in overall viewers. It averaged 5.5 million viewers a night, ahead of Fox News (4.9 million) and MSNBC (3.6 million), as well as NBC (4.6 million), ABC (3.5 million), and CBS (3.1 million).

These numbers continue what has been a very strong year for CNN, particularly in the key 25-54 demo. “We’ve got our largest share of the primetime audience in 15 years,” Zucker says on an early July afternoon from CNN’s Manhattan headquarters in Columbus Circle. “We’re within 2 share points of Fox.”

John Martin, CEO of CNN parent Turner Broadcasting, praises Zucker for turning the network around. “CNN is going to have a record year in terms of revenues and profits,” he says. Such success has allowed Turner to grow CNN’s staff and resources. Martin is less reluctant than Zucker to speculate on whether CNN will eclipse Fox News. “It’s a question of when, not if,” he says.