CNN Media editor Oliver Darcy announced his abrupt leave shortly after sparring with the boss Chris Light about the network’s decision to host a town hall event with Donald Trump last week, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Darcy, who took over the network Reliable sources newsletter after Brian Stelter was suspended last year, announced his sudden “holiday” via the newsletter issued Wednesday night.
“Hello there,” Darcy wrote. “Before we start, a housekeeping note: I’m going on a pre-planned vacation.”
“Yes, I know what you’re thinking,” he continued. “I have already taken many ‘pre-planned’ holidays. But I can assure you, this is *not* that. It’s my wife’s 30th birthday and we’re going to a special place for a few days.”
“And CNN aired it all. It went on and on. It felt like 2016 again,” he continued. “It was Trump’s unhinged social media feed brought to life on stage.”
“How Licht and other CNN executives handle the criticism in the coming days and weeks will be crucial. Will they defend what happened at Saint Anselm College? Or will they express some regret?”
After the newsletter was published last week, Licht reportedly called Darcy, Darcy’s editor, and other network executives to his office.
Light reportedly told Darcy his coverage was about the Trump town hall event “too emotional” and reiterated that the network was trying to remain unbiased in its coverage.
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Network sources familiar with the meeting later claimed that Darcy had left “visibly shaken” of the tense meeting with Licht and that the CNN CEO had “stuck in the fear of God”. Reliable sources author.
Meanwhile, amid concerns that he would be fired from his role at the network and just before announcing his leave, Darcy took up Twitter Unpleasant reassures his audience he still worked for CNN.
“Still here and still going strong!” Darcy wrote just before midnight on Monday. “Here is the latest edition of the [Reliable Sources] newsletter.”