Mark Thompson said he would use his previous experience as chief executive of the New York Times to modernize CNN.
CNN chief Executive Mark Thompson has told staff the channel needs to strengthen its digital presence, saying traditional television "can no longer define us" and saying its journalists should not be distracted by debates about balance or fake neutrality.
Mr Thompson told CNN staff in a video message on his first day on the job on Monday that he would use his previous experience as chief executive of the New York Times to help modernise the channel.
"For most people who are not yet retired, their number one source of news is their phone, not their TV," Thompson said. News outlets that are unable or unwilling to adapt to this change risk losing their audiences and their business."
He said CNN needed to act quickly and that despite recent progress, such as the launch of the show collection CNN Max on the Max streaming service, "the company is far from ready for the future."