The spectacle of a high-profile cable news anchor advising his powerful politician brother amid scandal was a longstanding headache for many CNN journalists, who privately expressed discomfort at actions that, in their view, compromised the network’s credibility. The CNN anchor Jake Tapper went public with his concerns in May, telling The New York Times that his colleague had “put us in a bad spot,” adding, “I cannot imagine a world in which anybody in journalism thinks that that was appropriate.”
Mr. Zucker, for a time at least, had stood behind Mr. Cuomo, saying the anchor was “human” and facing “very unique circumstances.” The network also offered the anchor a formal leave if he wished to work more closely with his brother’s team.
In the wake of Chris Cuomo’s suspension on Tuesday, CNN said it would embark on an internal review of his conduct, but the network made no immediate plans to retain an outside law firm or forensic investigators. The review was expected to focus on what ethical journalistic lines Mr. Cuomo may have crossed, according to a person familiar with the network’s plans.
Mr. Cuomo, previously at ABC News, was one of CNN’s first major hires after Mr. Zucker became its president in 2013. A morning show, “New Day,” was organized in part around Mr. Cuomo’s bombastic, fast-talking on-air personality. Mr. Cuomo also brought reportorial experience from his time covering wildfires, shooting rampages and war zones.
He moved to prime-time in 2018, beating out other prominent hosts like Mr. Tapper to take over the coveted 9 p.m. slot at the network. “Cuomo Prime Time” became CNN’s highest-rated hour, although it regularly attracted fewer viewers than competitors on Fox News and MSNBC.