New CNN Digital Head Urges ‘Cross-Functional’ Effort in First-Day Memo, Staff Yawns: ‘Boilerplate Stuff’ | Exclusive

Alex MacCallum kicked off her new role as CNN’s EVP of Digital Products and Services on Monday with a staff memo touting her plans to build out digital offerings – a “boilerplate” message that was received with a “collective shrug,” a person with knowledge of the network’s internal communications tells TheWrap.

In the memo, MacCallum said that while “CNN’s journalism is essential,” the network needs to “build value in new and different ways to bring audiences our talent, our analysis, our journalism, and our experience.”

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“Doing new and different things and building new and different products means taking risks and changing the way we work,” MacCallum continued.