CNN chief Jim Walton is resigning, saying the beleaguered news network needs a different leader with a new perspective.

Mr Walton built CNN into a profitable international news organisation in his 10 years as boss, but the US flagship network has suffered through historically poor ratings in the past few months and is entrenched in third place behind rivals Fox News Channel and MSNBC in prime time.

He announced his decision in an email to staff today.

CNN historically suffers in the ratings during slow news periods, a fate Fox and MSNBC have minimised with partisan shows in prime time.

Mr Walton, president of CNN Worldwide, has resisted this approach, believing CNN's strength lies in being a non-partisan news source.

He is 54 and has worked at CNN since 1981.

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