Can Mark Thompson revive CNN’s struggling fortunes?

A town hall with Donald Trump in South Carolina before the election in 2016. CNN’s profits reportedly dropped to $750m in 2022, compared to more than $1bn two years earlier. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

In late summer, CNN found itself in crisis. Under the disastrous tenure of chief executive Chris Licht, the news channel had seen top anchors leave and ratings plunge.

Behind the scenes, CNN staff were grumbling about an apparent attempt to move the network’s political coverage to a rapidly disappearing center – an effort typified by the widely criticized decision to host a town hall with Donald Trump in May.