CNN CEO Chris Licht has some thoughts on media's lack of diversity

• A recent Atlantic profile of CNN CEO Chris Licht detailed problems within the network under his leadership.
• In the article, Licht shared his thoughts on diversity in the media industry
• In recent years, CNN has come under fire for not promoting talent of color on primetime TV.

In a revealing profile published by the Atlantic on Friday, CNN's CEO Chris Licht shared his thoughts on the lack of diversity in the media industry — and why he believes media has a misguided idea of what it means to be diverse.

"A Black person, a brown person and an Asian woman that all graduated the same year from Harvard is not diversity," Licht told Atlantic reporter Tim Alberta, referring to a statement he made at a conference that created controversy among his own DEI staff at CNN. Alberta commented that Licht sought to "recruit reporters who are deeply religious and reporters who grew up on food stamps and reporters who own guns."

"I think 'Defund the police' would've been covered differently if newsrooms were filled with people who had lived in public housing," Licht continued. When pressed by Alberta to elaborate on why, Licht responded, "They have a different relationship with their need with the police."

He quickly followed up on that thought. "Now I'm in trouble," he told an assistant.

'Republicans are back on the air'

Last year, Licht was hired by Warner Media Discovery head David Zaslav with the directve to move CNN further toward the ideological center. Zaslav has been vocal about his desire to change the network's "left-leaning" brand, saying that he doesn't want CNN to be seen as an "advocacy network." One of those moves included a controversial town hall with Donald Trump, where the former president called anchor Kaitlan Collins "a nasty person" and insulted E. Jean Carroll, whom he was found liable for sexually abusing.

"Republicans are back on the air," Zaslav said at the MoffettNathanson Technology, Media and Telecom Conference last month.

That ideological shift has led to major ripples in the network's lineup, including the firing of on-air personalities Brian Stelter, and, most recently, Don Lemon.

Staffers internally also expressed frustration about the network's pivot "at the expense of people of color." Earlier this year, Laura Coates lost her role as temporary anchor in favor of Kaitlan Collins, leaving some staffers afraid that Black talent is being sidelined at the company. Coates herself was said to be "disappointed" and "stunned," according to CNN insiders.

CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.