Jeff Zucker’s abrupt resignation on Wednesday made for shocking headlines. But for media insiders and employees of the news network, the only surprise was that it had finally gone public, sources told Variety.Zucker’s fondness for CNN chief marketing officer Allison Gollust had been common knowledge for years, insiders said.
In a joint statement this morning, they both confirmed a consensual relationship and acknowledged their failure to flag the matter to CNN’s owner WarnerMedia.
In his resignation statement, Zucker himself admitted that Gollust was his “closest colleague.”Gollust is a seasoned public relations executive who in 2013 left a position in former Gov.
Andrew Cuomo’s office to join Zucker at CNN. She now has the title of EVP and CMO of CNN Worldwide. Prior to her stint in politics, Gollust spent more than a decade in communications at NBCUniversal with Zucker.
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