On Monday, CNN fired Don Lemon, to which the former host took to Twitter claiming he never had a chance to speak with management. However, CNN responded by claiming Lemon’s allegations were false.
CNN Communications tweeted, “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) April 24, 2023
Don Lemon tweeted on his personal Twitter account, “I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) April 24, 2023
CNN CEO Christ Licht confirmed Don Lemon’s firing in a statement. “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” Licht said. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors. CNN This Morning has been on the air for nearly six months, and we are committed to its success.”
To many, Lemon’s departure from CNN is unsurprising given poor ratings and a slew of recent controversies surrounding the host. Allegedly, individuals affiliated with CNN didn’t understand why he still had a job at the news company. According to Fox News Digital:
Current CNN employees are also wondering why their network has kept Lemon on the payroll despite all the headaches.
“There are plenty of people just as talented and popular with viewers that are not such a heavy lift,” one CNN insider told Fox News Digital
When asked whether Lemon is worth the trouble for CNN, another insider replied “I’m honestly not sure,” adding that it’s “no secret” that he has done “moronic things.”
One insider close to CNN boss Chris Licht told Fox News Digital he thought the Variety report was “rough” while insisting it wasn’t substantiated, a position the network echoed in its response to the story.
CNN has been struggling compared to other cable news networks, like Fox News, which has maintained the number one position. Reports from Deadline indicate that CNN lost 61 percent of primetime viewers in March:
CNN saw some of the steepest declines, with its primetime audience down 61% from March of 2022, and dropping 73% in the 25-54 demo.
…For the month, Fox News topped primetime with an average of 2.09 million viewers, down 27%, versus MSNBC with 1.14 million, down 12%, and CNN with 473,000, off by 61%. In the 25-54 demo, Fox News topped with 245,000, down 54%, followed by MSNBC with 107,000, down 42%, and CNN with 100,000, down 73%.
In total day, Fox News averaged 1.32 million, down 27%, followed by MSNBC with 701,000, down 10%, and CNN with 425,000, down 52%. In the 25-54 demo, Fox News averaged 162,000, down 53%, followed by CNN with 83,000, down 64%, and MSNBC with 78,000, down 24%.
"*" indicates required fields