Movies

Chris Wallace exits CNN as post-election cost-cutting begins

BBG News

Chris Wallace exits CNN as post-election cost-cutting begins

As a long-time admirer of journalism, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and anticipation as Chris Wallace bids farewell to CNN. His illustrious career spanning across various media platforms, from radio to television and streaming services, is nothing short of inspiring.

Veteran journalist Chris Wallace is exiting CNN three years after joining from Fox News.

Mark Thompson, CNN’s chairman and CEO, praised Chris Wallace as one of the most esteemed political journalists in the media industry, who has an exceptional resume spanning radio, print, television broadcasting, cable television, and streaming. In a statement on Monday, he expressed gratitude for Wallace’s commitment and insight throughout his tenure at CNN and wished him continued success in his future endeavors.

In simpler terms, Wallace, who is 77 years old, might be one of several well-known television news personalities to depart in the upcoming months. Media companies are likely to make significant budget reductions after the 2024 presidential election.

Wallace was widely anticipated as a potential cost-reduction focus. He was recruited from Fox News towards the end of 2021, reportedly earning an annual salary of around $8 million. His two weekend shows, “Chris Wallace’s Chat” and “The Chris Wallace Program,” are relatively low-rated in terms of network viewership.

Initially, Jeff Zucker, then president of CNN, brought Wallace on board for CNN+, an early endeavor aimed at creating a streaming platform to bolster their cable operations. However, just weeks after Wallace joined, Zucker was dismissed and the streaming project was soon terminated following CNN’s acquisition by Warner Bros. Discovery.

After Chris Licht, who succeeded Zucker, took over “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?”, a program featuring long-format interviews with celebrities, he shifted it to the cable network. In 2023, Wallace added a live Saturday morning discussion show and made appearances on CNN during special event coverage.

On Friday, you’ll catch the last installment of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?”, and it looks like we’ll still be tuning in for his show on Saturdays until the end of this year.

Wallace moved on to CNN following a decline in his satisfaction at Fox News, where he had worked for 18 years and was prominently recognized as the most prominent figure transitioning from one of the network broadcasts to a more conservative-oriented channel. In both 2016 and 2020, he served as the moderator for presidential debates.

Wallace, who served as the moderator for “Fox News Sunday,” parted ways with the program shortly following his 2021 disapproval of a documentary on Fox Nation’s streaming service featuring former host Tucker Carlson. The controversial program, which did not air on the Fox News Channel, propagated the debunked notion that the January 6th, 2021 Capitol insurrection was orchestrated by undercover government agents.

Mike Wallace’s son, who is also named Wallace, made a name for himself as a correspondent at NBC. There, he served as the Washington anchor for “Today” and moderator of “Meet the Press.” Later, from 1989 to 2003, Wallace worked at ABC News, frequently appearing on “Primetime Thursday” and “Nightline.

The Daily Beast was the first to report that Wallace’s departure.

Read More

2024-11-12 05:31

Previous post A Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season eight doesn’t make sense but a follow-up series does
Next post Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria bring six of their kids to Spellbound premiere red carpet in NYC