CNN host Brian Stelter is out at CNN after the network decided to cancel his hyper-partisan show “Reliable Sources.”
New CNN chief Chris Licht reportedly informed Stelter of the decision to cancel his show, “Reliable Sources,” yesterday. Licht started to evaluate the hyper-partisan so-called “talent” at the network shortly after he joined CNN as he aimed to dial down the extreme partisanship that has plagued the network in recent years.
“CNN will end its Reliable Sources program on Sunday, August 21st,” a spokesperson for the network said in a statement. “As a result Brian Stelter will leave the company. We appreciate his contributions to the network and wish him well as he embarks on new endeavors.”
Stelter said in a statement that it was a “rare privilege” to lead a show that examined what he claimed was the “truth.”
The network reportedly laid off the show’s entire staff. Fox News reported that CNN’s Oliver Darcy will remain at the network to lead the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.
CNN executive vice president Amy Entelis claimed that Stelter was an “impeccable broadcaster,” even though the network decided to can him.
“Stelter came to CNN from the New York Times as the nation’s top media reporter,” she said. “He departs CNN an impeccable broadcaster. We are proud of what Brian and his team accomplished over the years, and we’re confident their impact and influence will long outlive the show.”
Stelter’s show had tanked in ratings recently, drawing its lowest numbers in several years.
“I picked a bad day to violate the ABC rule — Always Be Charging,” Stelter wrote on social media shortly after news of his ouster broke. “I took the kiddos out sightseeing in midtown Manhattan and my phone’s at 2%.”
“End of an era. It has been a hell of a ride working with @BrianStelter and the @ReliableSources team over the last five years. Brian has been a first-class colleague, mentor, and friend. I cannot wait to see what he does next,” Darcy wrote on Twitter. “As for me, I’m looking forward to continuing to cover the media and hold powerful people and institutions accountable. It’s important work and I’m grateful to do it at CNN.”
Stelter publicly begged to end his relationship w/CNN after Jeff Zucker’s ouster. From Feb: “The people who say the Zucker-era CNN was lacking in real journalism clearly were not watching CNN directly… And yes, I'm including (Discovery’s biggest shareholder) John Malone in this” https://t.co/dtn0Gfex57
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) August 18, 2022
This report has been updated to include additional information.