Jeff Zucker is expected to be named the new worldwide president of CNN, The New York Times is reporting. A source with knowledge of the Zucker/CNN talks confirmed to Deadline, “They have been in conversation for a long time and it looks like this is a done deal.” The announcement of the former NBC Universal chief executive to replace the outgoing Jim Walton is supposed to happen within the next few days. Walton officially steps down from his post on December 31st. Zucker is currently the executive producer of Katie Couric‘s syndicated daytime talk show but has been looking to make a move back into the corporate ranks. As Deadline reported last month, Disney-ABC have already started searching for a replacement for Zucker on Couric’s show. For the time being, the daytime show will be run by the current producing team. Only recently Zucker’s name emerged as a CNN contender even though the job is much smaller than the top NBCU gig he held from 2007-2010 when he was unceremoniously fired by new owner Comcast #2 Steve Burke. Formerly executive producer of Today from 1992-2000 and before that an NBC news producer, Zucker will take on the ratings-challenged cable news network whose Nielsen’s have been plummeting. However, Zucker’s news experience is now over a decade old and the landscape has changed dramatically.

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