CNN’s Chris Licht Claims Network Is ‘Completely Uninterested in Partisan Hackery and Ideological Talking Points’

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CNN CEO Chris Licht declared there will be no “partisan hackery” or “ideological talking points” in the network’s future even as he’s looking to bring more Republicans and possibly more laughs to the airwaves.

In an interview with Los Angeles Times reporter Stephen Battaglio, Licht discussed a number of the changes he’s implemented at CNN since taking over, which includes Bill Maher’s Overtime segment for Real Time with Bill Maher airing this week on the network for the first time and an open invitation for Republicans to give the network a chance.

Licht said despite reports he was looking to add comedy to CNN’s primetime and the addition of Maher; he’s not looking to hire a comedian to beef up the ratings.

“There is nothing wrong with opinion or perspective, especially in prime time, but it has to be authentic. We are completely uninterested in partisan hackery and ideological talking points,” he said.

Licht also discussed traveling to Washington D.C. to meet with Republican lawmakers to convince them they would get a fair interview on CNN.

Battaglio asked whether the network had agreed to not discuss specific topics to get Republicans on, noting that Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) was not asked about ethics investigations during a recent appearance.

Licht said:

“There are absolutely not deals like that. But I think it has to make sense in the scope of the discussion we’re talking about. If he was coming on to promote something that flies in the face of something in his past, then absolutely we would then go, ‘But wait a second, you had to retire,’ or ‘You had to resign because of X, Y and Z.’ But if he’s coming on to talk about a narrow focus, as he did about what was happening on the floor of the House, that is not the appropriate forum. If we’re doing a broad-ranging interview, then of course you’re going to ask those questions.”

Licht insisted he’s been given the time to make changes at CNN and to let shows like the fresh CNN This Morning grow. Asked how he would “restore” CNN’s reputation, Licht pointed to trust as the key problem.

“I think we have to restore trust. It’s that simple,” he said. “You can talk to a lot of different people as to why that has eroded, but as opposed to looking back I will say one of our missions is to restore our reputation as the most trusted name in news. We certainly have research that shows that [trust] has eroded.”