CNN president announces ‘new and expanded’ team to focus on ‘institutional racism’

CNN President Jeff Zucker informed employees Monday that the cable news network plans to launch a “new and expanded” team to “shed a light on the growing movement against institutional racism.”

“I could not be prouder of the impactful work that CNN has done on every platform in the last few years – and especially in the last several weeks – covering race and racial injustice in America,” Zucker said in an internal staff memo. “Our reporting has been powerful, emotional, and helped to shed a light on the growing movement against institutional racism. Today, I am pleased to announce that we are making an even more significant, sustained commitment to ensure race coverage is a permanent part of our journalism.”

“The recent conversations we’ve had in our newsrooms have been informative and constructive. We have valued them, we heard you, and we will continue listening,” the 55-year-old former NBCUniversal head said. “There are structural changes and investments we can and will make to better cover what is happening in our society. We are committed to doing that.”

“In that spirit, we are pleased to share the news of a new and expanded race team, which will contribute to all CNN platforms,” Zucker added. “This team will build on what so many do already at CNN and will provide the needed structure to cover this beat with more focus and force.”

The race team will be headed by former Associated Press Chicago Deputy News Director Delano Massey, who was recently hired by CNN to serve as supervising producer.

Fueled by mass nationwide protests that began following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, the network had its most-watched quarter in its 40-year history, averaging 1.824 million viewers in prime time and 1.124 million throughout its 24-hour broadcast day.