CNN’s top media reporter Brian Stelter said executives have decided to cancel his Sunday show “Reliable Sources,” one of the first major programming moves under the company’s new leadership. then leave the network.
The final version of the show will air on Sunday, a CNN spokesperson said Thursday.
After nearly three decades on the air, the cancellation of Reliable Sources is a striking move by CNN’s new chairman, Chris Licht, who took office this spring following Jeff Zucker’s abrupt resignation. Mr. Zucker resigned after failing to disclose his romantic relationship with another CNN executive.
Under Licht, CNN has eschewed the “breaking news” banners that once heralded news big and small, and political news shows are trying to book more conservative voices. have given few other public clues about the possibility of
But leaders at CNN’s new parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, have suggested the network’s shows want more candid news coverage and less dogmatic takes from hosts. The company’s chief executive, David Zaslav, says he wants the network to be for both Republicans and Democrats. Influential Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder John Malone Said In an interview with CNBC last year, he said he wanted the network to “return to its original journalism.”
That new focus appeared to potentially endanger Stelter, who has been critical of former President Donald J. Trump and his handling of his coverage. Many people have seen Mr. Stelter’s program recently, However, Nielsen data showed it had fewer viewers than Fox News.
In an email to The New York Times, Malone said he had “nothing to do” with the cancellation of Mr. Stelter’s show. “I want the ‘news’ part of CNN to be more neutral, but I have no control or direct involvement,” Malone said.
The decision to cancel the show is part of CNN’s “refreshed Sunday line-up,” a company spokesperson said Thursday. A lineup of new programs such as the veteran talk show “Talking with Chris Wallace” on Sunday.
Further changes are expected. A veteran of MSNBC’s popular “Morning His Joe” roundtable, his producer Licht told employees at his Town Hall meeting that he plans to join the network’s morning show. . He also said he plans to reorganize some of the nightly programming, including 9 p.m., when Chris Cuomo’s departure leaves a significant gap in prime time.
Licht recently hired former CBS This Morning Executive Producer Ryan Kadro to help develop the new show.News site Puck, just now report on rent.
The company praised Stelter for his work on the network.
A CNN spokesperson said: “We thank him for his contributions to the network and wish him the best in his new endeavors.
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Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president of talent and content development, said in a statement that Stelter will leave CNN as a “flawless broadcaster.”
“We are proud of what Brian and his team have accomplished over the years, and we are confident their impact and influence will continue long after the show.” Mr Entelis said.
In a statement, Stelter said he was grateful for the last nine years at CNN and thanked the viewers for watching.
Mr Stelter said: “I have more to say on Sunday.”
The network and its website continue to cover the media industry. CNN Senior Media His reporter Oliver Darcy will be responsible for his Reliable Sources newsletter for CNN. Staff on Mr. Stelter’s show are invited to apply for other jobs on the network.
News of the show’s cancellation has come before Reported by NPRMr. Stelter, 36, is an avid media reporter and has a constant presence on Twitter. He was placed in the unusual position of being at the center of coverage for his industry.
Prior to joining CNN, Mr. Stelter spent six years at The New York Times, where he became known for breaking big news in the television news industry. He was hired by The Times after founding his news site, TV Newser, out of his dorm room at Towson University.
Last year, Stelter received a salary of nearly $1 million a year for his work on television, in addition to Reliable Source newsletters, podcasts, and daily programming on the defunct CNN+ streaming service, plus an additional four years. signed the contract. 4 people with discussion knowledge. Several other major CNN stars, such as Don Lemon and Jake Tupper, also have contracts locked for at least another two years.
Stelter was informed of the show’s cancellation during Wednesday’s meeting with Licht, said two people who spoke on condition of anonymity.
News of Stelter’s departure from CNN comes less than a week after the network’s longtime legal commentator, Jeffrey Toobin, announced his resignation.