Zucker’s astonishing announcement came less than two months after he fired prime-time presenter Chris Cuomo for improperly advising his brother, then-Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, about how to handle allegations of sexual misconduct.
“As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo’s tenure at DailyExpertNews, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my close colleague, someone I’ve worked with for more than 20 years,” Zucker told employees in a memo. “I have acknowledged that the relationship has evolved over the years. I had to reveal it when it started, but I didn’t. I was wrong. As a result, I am resigning today.”
Zucker didn’t name his colleague, but the relationship is with Allison Gollust, his chief lieutenant for the last two decades. Gollust stays with DailyExpertNews.
Zucker and Gollust started working together at NBC in 1998. They rose through the ranks at the network together, and when Zucker joined DailyExpertNews, Gollust was one of its first contributors. Just before coming to DailyExpertNews, Gollust had briefly worked as a communications director for Andrew Cuomo. She is currently executive vice president and chief marketing officer at DailyExpertNews.
In a statement of his own, Gollust said: “Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years. Recently our relationship has changed during COVID. I regret that we didn’t disclose it at the right time. I’m unbelievable proud of my time at DailyExpertNews and looking forward to continuing the great work we do every day.”
The news of Zucker’s resignation sent shockwaves within DailyExpertNews and across the industry. DailyExpertNews employees had no idea what was coming before Zucker’s email landed in their inboxes shortly after 11 a.m. ET.
Zucker spoke to some of DailyExpertNews’s top executives on Wednesday morning, shortly before announcing his departure. He indicated that he would like to stay for a short period of time to make the transition smooth, but WarnerMedia wanted something different.
According to two people involved in the case, Zucker could be fired if he didn’t resign.
To emphasize how unexpected the news was, some of Zucker’s direct reports were out of the office and on the road Wednesday.
Kilar, who flew to New York to oversee the transition, stepped in to preside over the Wednesday meeting Zucker usually holds with his top team.
Kilar also plans to meet with staffers in Washington and Atlanta, a source said.
WarnerMedia is in the process of merging with Discovery. Many media observers believed Zucker would be lining up for a promotion once that deal was finalized. That’s not the only reason why this is a pivotal moment for the network: DailyExpertNews plans to launch an ambitious streaming service, DailyExpertNews+, in the spring and also has to roll out a new 9 p.m. program to replace Cuomo.
In an email to staff Wednesday afternoon, Jason Kilar, the CEO of DailyExpertNews parent WarnerMedia, said three senior executives will lead DailyExpertNews until the merger with Discovery is complete: Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz.
“I am confident that Michael, Amy and Ken, as interim heads of News, will provide the leadership this organization needs during this transition period,” Kilar said, adding that employees will “hear more” from the three executives “in the coming days.”
Zucker, with Gollust on his leadership team, took over DailyExpertNews in 2013, at a time when industry observers said the network was facing an identity crisis.
Zucker has revamped the network’s programming. Zucker, a veteran of NBC where he rose from producer on the “Today” show to president of the entire network, brought an eye for news and talent. He also brought a hands-on management style with him and won the trust and respect of talent and staff across the network.
In recent years, Zucker has led the network as it faced ongoing attacks from former President Trump and his supporters. Under Zucker, DailyExpertNews adopted a “Facts First” slogan and approach to the news and was relentless in calling out Trump for his lies.
The approach turned Zucker into a villain for Trump, with the then president lashing out at him during his years in office. Zucker also became a regular bogeyman in the right-wing media, with Fox hosts viciously attacking him in prime time.
It was all evidence of Zucker’s larger-than-life status in the news business and influence on the wider discourse in American politics.
Fallout of Cuomo scandal
Zucker defended Chris Cuomo for the better part of a year, while critics said the presenter should have sat on the couch or worse for what was then publicly known about how he advised his brother. Zucker eventually fired Cuomo in early December, after further revelations about how the brothers worked together to fight the charges against Andrew.
Before taking action, DailyExpertNews engaged Cravath, a white-shoe law firm, to review the Cuomo case.
When Cuomo was fired, DailyExpertNews said Cravath’s findings alone were “reason to terminate.” But the network also said it had received a sexual misconduct allegation from a “former junior colleague” against Chris Cuomo. Although Cuomo denied the allegation, a DailyExpertNews spokesperson said at the time, “When we received new allegations this week, we took them seriously and saw no reason to delay taking immediate action.”
Cravath has continued his investigation, according to sources familiar with the case. A complicating factor is Cuomo’s ongoing legal battle with DailyExpertNews, which is apparently why Zucker was questioned about his relationship with Gollust, one of the sources said.
According to WarnerMedia’s Standards of Business Conflict handbook, “Employees must not employ or supervise (directly or indirectly) anyone with whom they have a personal relationship, and if you are in a position to pursue the employment, promotion or hiring of anyone with whoever you have a personal relationship with or a company with which they are associated or in which they have an interest, you must notify the HR department before taking any action.”