Former CNN president Jonathan Klein has told Digiday that the networks' fate is tied to whether President Trump is re-elected, because no more "bad guy" or "antagonist" will mean viewers won't be able to feed on the drama inside their leftist echo-chamber.

"Grandpa is a nice guy," Klein told the outlet, likely referring to Joe Biden, adding "Everybody might be relieved to not watch as much cable news anymore and go find a book to read, a garden to plant, or a socially-distanced walk to take."

Klein, who parted ways with the network in 2010, said that what Trump gave journalistic outlets "was an audience that felt the urgency" to watch, adding "that urgency among 70% of the audience might dissipate a little bit."

"I don't think it was any more complicated than that Trump was good for ratings," he said, adding "Make no mistake, it's a symbiotic relationship. The dramatic rise and relevance of CNN for better or worse is tied to Donald Trump."