Kent Leaves CNN

Cable World, Sept 3, 2001 by Staci D. Kramer

CNN's executive ranks continue to churn although Philip I. Kent, president and COO of the CNN News Group, is calling it quits at the end of the month.

This time the empty chair may not be filled. Kent's position as the executive responsible for managing all CNN operations was created last year as one of the first steps in a massive restructuring effort aimed, in part, at preparing the network for the AOL Time Warner merger.

A non-journalist with a background in the business side of news and entertainment, Kent was one of the main architects for the reorganization that followed--including the slashing of 400 jobs or nearly 10% of the workforce.

That restructuring--and CNN's continued problems in the face of increased competition from rivals like the Fox News Channel and CNBC--eventually contributed to the departure of both of the executives who announced his promotion: then-CNN News Group chairman Tom Johnson and then-Turner Broadcasting chairman Terry McGuirk. Along the way, Jamie Kellner was brought in as chairman and CEO of Turner with CNN reporting to him.

Kellner went outside of CNN to replace Johnson, who resigned this summer, and named Time Inc.'s Walter Issacson chairman and CEO, leaving observers wondering how much longer Kent, 46, would last.

Last week he said he had accomplished the job he came in to do and was ready to move on.