CNN anchor Don Lemon has been pressured over whether or not his network is a “ boy’s club, ” as recently suggested by outgoing colleague Brooke Baldwin.
Last week, Baldwin expressed grievances that her employer preferred to select men over women in positions of authority.
“The most influential anchors on our network, the highest paid, are men. My bosses, my executives, are men. The person who oversees CNN Dayside is a man, and my executive producer for 10 years is a man. “I’m surrounded by a lot of men,” Baldwin told Ms. Magazine’s podcast.
Indeed, CNN is the only major cable news network in America without a female primetime host, and many of the network’s powerful executives are men. Baldwin said she sees the landscape change as more women appear on cable news, but noted that during her career she mostly worked with men.
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“I was surrounded by a lot of guys,” she said.
Lemon was asked about Baldwin’s comments during an interview shared Thursday on the New York Times’ “Sway” podcast.
“Do you see that as a problem?” journalist Kara Swisher asked.
“Well, a few things,” Lemon replied. “I don’t know everyone else’s salary. So I can’t say it’s a … and it’s a boys’ club. I just got there.”
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“You can’t work it out with the ‘I just got here’ thing,” Swisher told anchor, who has been with CNN since 2006. ” Should a woman lead the network? don’t have – you know, women are just second-class citizens in the CNN universe. “
“Well, I think we’ve had women run the network,” Lemon said. “I mean, [former Vice President of Programming] Janelle Rodriguez managed part of the network. My EP [executive producer] is a woman … And Erin Burnett’s executive producer, showrunner, is a woman. So we have enough women in positions of power in the network.
Now, in the executive ranks, I don’t know enough about the org chart to tell you that. But listen, my CMO [chief marketing officer] is a woman, Allison Gollust, and she is a huge influence on the network. So should the network be managed by a woman? A very capable woman, of course. I’d like to see a woman run the network, ”the CNN anchor continued.
Lemon seemed to suggest that Baldwin could have dealt more with CNN president Jeff Zucker, who invited Lemon to lunch.
“I mean, she can do the same,” Lemon said before chuckling.
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The anchor of “CNN Tonight” admitted that there is room for improvement when it comes to the representation of both women and “people of color” in the network.
“I think [we’re] on track. I don’t really think of it as a boy’s club, ”Lemon added.
Baldwin announced in February that she would be leaving CNN after 13 years. Her departure was announced last fall after she sent cryptic Instagram posts suggesting she was forced off the air following the network’s announcement that Jake Tapper would be taking over her timeslot ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
“As the election progresses, the political maestro @jaketapper will hold my hour and his for the next few weeks. I wish I was with you, but goodbye [TV] on the other side of the election, ”Baldwin wrote in October.
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One fan asked, “Why are you taking so many weeks off at such an important time?”
“Not my choice,” Baldwin replied.
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.