CNN Hires Choire Sicha to Lead Features As It Makes Digital Subscriber Push

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How will the founder of The Awl make a mark at CNN?

On Tuesday, it was announced that the cable news network has brought on board Choire Sicha, the founder of a popular New York-focused cultural site known for its daily musings about city weather under the slogan “Be Less Stupid.” His new role will be spearheading their upcoming venture in editorial features.

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Tuesday saw an announcement from the cable news network revealing they had recruited Choire Sicha, the mastermind behind a renowned New York-based cultural website with daily weather-themed reflections under the tagline “Be Less Stupid,” to spearhead their fresh endeavor in creating editorial features.

Sicha, who has been editor at large at New York magazine and head of the Styles section at The New York Times, is set to join CNN as senior vice president of features editorial on May 19th. This move represents the latest addition to the brand’s team as it works to adapt within the online news landscape, with a focus on creating subscription services – a significant shift for CNN, but one deemed crucial as the channel moves beyond its traditional linear TV foundations. Moreover, this hire suggests that CNN is aiming to challenge The New York Times in their respective domains.

In a job announcement, the cable company highlighted the editor’s achievements particularly within the paid subscriber sector. They stated that “Sicha played a key role in shaping Style towards attracting and maintaining subscribers and functioned as an editorial ally for the advertising team at The Times.

Following January’s layoffs that affected approximately 6% of positions or 200 staff members, CNN has been onboarding experienced editorial personnel. This includes senior hires who had previously worked on CNN+’s brief tenure during the Jeff Zucker era. (CNN+ ceased operations due to AT&T’s 2022 spinoff of parent Warner Bros. Discovery.) In April, Amanda Wills, a former CNN+ employee, was reinstated as chief content officer, and a month prior, Nancy Han returned to the cable news network as senior vice president, video editorial.

Mark Thompson, former president of The New York Times, is currently overseeing CNN’s business operations. In January, he announced plans to invest $70 million in digital initiatives, with a significant portion allocated towards enhancing the quality of journalism and storytelling. Additionally, there are plans underway for a lifestyle-focused digital product and a new standalone streaming service dedicated to CNN’s news brand, separate from Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max platform.

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2025-05-06 17:14