NEW YORK: CNN News,a division of Turner Broadcasting System will have a new chief executive officer in the next four months. Current chief executive officer Walter Isaacson will step down at the end of 2003 spring.

Chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Jamie Kellner announced that Isaacson will be replaced by CNN's current president and chief operating officer, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, Jim Walton.

According to an official release, the joint two-year tenure of Isaacson and Walton CNN (US) was the highest-rated since the Gulf War and the news channel has earned more than 50 national and international journalism awards in the last 12 months.

Walton has been working for CNN for past 22 years and has served as the second-in-command to Isaacson.