NYC Radio: Cats Alleges Zucker Took CNN To 'The Sewer'

Billionaire grocery store/media mogul John Catsimatidis tore into ousted CNN boss Jeff Zucker for taking the network 'into the sewer' - as he insisted he is serious about his offer to run the network in return for a $1 salary. 

The 74-year-old revealed to DailyMail.com he is eager to turn the network around, and vowed to bring two million viewers back to the struggling channel 'within 12 months'. 

'I don't even want to get paid,' he added. 'If they want to bet on me and share my success and make a ton of money, I'll do it now.'  He revealed that he has begun talks with investors to explore a serious bid for the company, but declined to comment any further. 

Catsimatidis also slated former CEO Jeff Zucker's handling of the company as 'a joke', after reports indicated he may be readying a move to return to his old job. 

Despite a calamitous run culminating in two ousted CEOs in the space of a year, Catsimatidis said he is in a unique position to turn CNN's fortunes around. 

'I bought WABC three years ago, and we brought it from number 28 in the marketplace to the top two or three in the city,' he said.   'So I said to CNN, you have 400,000 (viewers), if I run CNN within 12 months we're back at two million... My specialty is taking broken things and fixing them.'  

The billionaire's offer comes amid reports that CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery could be looking to offload the network following the sacking of CEO Chris Licht.  In a surprise turn of events, ousted CEO Zucker emerged as a potential buyer, insiders revealed this week.