President of CNN Worldwide, Jim Walton to leave the company

The long-time President of CNN Worldwide, Jim Walton, says he will leave the company at the end of the year.

Walton, who joined the company as an entry-level video journalist in 1981, said the company needed "a new leader who brings a different perspective, different experiences and a new plan."

"For some time, I've been talking with (Turner Chairman and CEO) Phil Kent about wanting to make a change, and he supports my decision," Walton wrote in a memo to employees.

In a brief interview, Walton said that he timed his announcement to give Kent the opportunity to find a successor and "be open about it.