HLN’s ‘Sister Act’

Channel chief out as content goes CNN

The network that brought the nation Casey Anthony and Nancy Grace is about to undergo another makeover.

After veering from trial coverage to viral videos, HLN, formerly Headline News, will look more like sister news network CNN and less like a social media experiment.

CNN boss Jeff Zucker said HLN would become more closely allied with CNN’s own content, likely running its library of documentaries, according to a memo to staffers on Tuesday that announced the exit of HLN chief Albie Hecht.

While Hecht had held meetings with programming suppliers on the West Coast as recently as this month, his exit came as little surprise to some of the network’s partners, who say it was clear that seizing on social media buzz wasn’t working for the network.

“They realized the millennial strategy was nonsense,” said one source.

Zucker hasn’t started a search to replace Hecht, according to sources, who added that other staff may exit as the network’s schedule gets revamped.

In his memo, Zucker said HLN has “some of the biggest personalities in cable,” a reference no doubt to Nancy Grace, who was unrelenting in her coverage of the Casey Anthony trial.

One source said Hecht had not been a Zucker hire and that Zucker knew six months ago that he wanted to make a change.

“When Jeff Zucker came on board, Albie had already been hired. It was so late in the process, that even if Jeff suspected it wouldn’t work it was tough to say so,” said the source.

Hecht joined in September 2013 as vice president and general manager at HLN, but was never a traditional choice. He had success in launching Viacom’s maleskewing Spike network, but little traditional news experience.

This time last year, Time Warner had been in talks with Vice cofounder Shane Smith about transforming HLN into a Vicebranded TV channel. Those talks foundered over valuation among other issues.