Bewkes Throws Support Behind CNN Programs Developed by Klein

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes was on Neil Cavuto’s Fox Business Network show Wednesday where he said CNN’s new primetime line-up, the just premiered Parker/Spitzer, and the upcoming interview program hosted by Piers Morgan have his full support.
Cavuto asked Bewkes if he had a “tight leash” on Parker/Spitzer, meaning is corporate shaping the direction of the political discussion, Bewkes said, “what we have is supportive direction.”

The directive, Bewkes added is, “Go in there, get into the news in an intelligent way. Don’t make it a shout fest.”
Bewkes added that he thinks Morgan will be “very interesting” noting that Morgan can “do fairly serious and complicated issues and make them [accessible] to people.”

But when Cavuto asked Bewkes if Jon Klein, who developed both programs, was “fired,” the CEO chose his words carefully.

“Jon did a very good job and a lot of what Jon did was done with the support and agreement of [CNN Worldwide president] Jim [Walton] and me and I think we got to the point where we need to make a change and that is why we made this structural change… I don’t think it surprised him.”