I may start a classification for gossip. In this household we listen not only to Chicago local news and national news but to Los Angeles local news. You hear some interesting things on Los Angeles local news you don’t hear elsewhere.
In this case there’s a rumor that the excuse given for Jeffrey Zucker’s ouster from CNN, his relationship with a subordinate, is just a pretext. There a big merger under way and getting rid of Zucker made that easier and more likely.
Given that the relationship has been well known for 10 or so years, and the only possible infraction being failure to disclose the relationship in accordance with company policy, it appears that an alternative explanation is more than gossip.
A head on the pike for the good of the deal? CNN ratings? Who knows?