Chris Wallace To Depart CNN After Three Years At Network
Chris Wallace is departing CNN after three years, the network confirmed today.
Wallace joined CNN in 2022 as an on-air commentator and host of the weekly talk show Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?
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Wallace told The Daily Beast that he plans to find a new home on an independent platform such as streaming or podcasting.
Mark Thompson, CNN’s CEO and chairman, said in a statement: “Chris Wallace is one of the most respected political journalists in the news business with a unique track record across radio, print, broadcast television, cable television and streaming. We want to thank him for the dedication and wisdom he’s brought to all his work at CNN and to wish him the very best for future.”
Wallace was coming to the end of a three-year contract, which he signed after abruptly exiting Fox News Sunday in 2021. As one of Fox News’ top news-side personalities, he had been lured to CNN by then-CEO Jeff Zucker, who saw him as one of the signature personalities on a soon-to-launch subscription streaming service, CNN+. That venture lasted just a few weeks, but Wallace’s show was moved to HBO Max and was replayed on CNN.
His departure also comes at what is seen as the end of the era of high-salaried news anchors and personalities as networks grapple with declining budgets. While all cable networks saw a spike in audience this election cycle, they did not match some of the blockbuster numbers of 2020 and 2016.
A number of personalities have migrated to independent ventures, including figures such as Don Lemon and Oliver Darcy. Others have experimented with streaming giants. Brian Williams, former anchor of NBC Nightly News and MSNBC’s The Last Word, returned to TV on Election Night as host of a Prime Video live special.
Other changes are afoot across the news landscape. CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell will depart the newscast this year after a five-year stint, and will be succeeded by John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois in a revamped broadcast. Hoda Kotb will exit as co-host of Today early next year.
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