CNN host Chris Wallace has confirmed that he will leave the channel after three years to try his hand at broadcasting independently. Unsure of the kind of content he would create, he affirmed that his career in broadcasting was over.
The 77-year-old host previously quit his role at Fox News after claiming that co-workers at the outlet began questioning "the truth." In March 2022, he told The New York Times in an interview:
"I just no longer felt comfortable with the programming at Fox. I’m fine with opinion: conservative opinion, liberal opinion. But when people start to question the truth — Who won the 2020 election? Was Jan. 6 an insurrection? — I found that unsustainable."
He noted feeling a shift in the atmosphere at his previous workplace after Donald Trump was defeated in the 2020 presidential elections, prompting him to venture into a role at CNN after an 18-year stint at Fox News.
Chris Wallace asserts that he has "nothing but positive things to say about CNN," despite drawing poor viewership during his time there
In an interview with the Daily Beast released on November 11, Chris Wallace revealed that he is considering a career in streaming or podcasting, which he said is “where the action seems to be.” He touted the examples of Joe Rogan and Charlamagne the God but asserted that he won't "flatter [himself] to think I will have that sort of reach.”
According to the outlet, the veteran journalist has also walked away from a seven-figure contract and the title of one of CNN's biggest stars. He was reportedly offered a contract extension, which he declined. He told the outlet,
"This is the first time in 55 years I’ve been between jobs. I am actually excited and liberated by that.”
CNN chief executive Mark Thompson issued a statement about the same on Monday evening:
“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,” Thompson said. “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 the future.”
Wallace joined CNN in 2022 when he anchored Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? on the outlet's streaming service. Fox News reported that he was also the face of The Chris Wallace Show, both of which drew poor viewership.
Regardless, per the Daily Beast, he asserted that he has nothing but love for his former employers. However, he declined to elucidate his decision further.
"I have nothing but positive things to say. CNN has been very good to me."
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Wallace hosted Fox News Sunday throughout his 18-year tenure at Fox News. However, according to the New York Times, his comments over President Trump's “direct, sustained assault on freedom of the press” in 2020 proved contentious at the outlet.
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