Chris Wallace announced on Sunday, shortly after revealing that he is leaving Fox News, that he is going CNN where he will be a key figure in a new streaming service that the far-left network is expected to launch early next year.
“I am thrilled to join CNN+. After decades in broadcast and cable news, I am excited to explore the world of streaming,” Wallace said in a statement. “I look forward to the new freedom and flexibility streaming affords in interviewing major figures across the news landscape—and finding new ways to tell stories. As I embark on this adventure, I am honored and delighted to join Jeff Zucker and his great team. I can’t wait to get started.”
Wallace announced today on “Fox News Sunday” that he was leaving the network because he was ” ready for a new adventure.”
Wallace’s decision to join CNN comes as CNN has endured multiple negative news cycles in recent weeks surrounding former disgraced host Chris Cuomo, who the network fired after conducting an investigation into the help that he provided then-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in dealing with a sexual misconduct scandal. During the course of the investigation, Cuomo was fired after he was accused of sexually harassing a woman he used to work with at a different network.
Late last week, news broke that a senior CNN producer, who at one point used to work with Chris Cuomo, had been arrested for allegedly trying to lure young children into “sexual” training.
“It is not often that a news organization gets the opportunity to bring someone of Chris Wallace’s caliber on board,” said Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports and President, CNN Worldwide. “He is as fine a journalist as there is in our business. This speaks volumes about our commitment to journalism and CNN+, and we are thrilled to have Chris on the ground floor of helping us build the next generation of CNN and news.”
Notable reactions to the news included:
- Gerry Callahan, radio host: “Best news of the weekend! This guy is the absolute worst. Maybe he can slide into the 9 pm slot at CNN and talk endlessly about his two favorite subjects: white supremacy and global warming. Good riddance to this fraud.”
- Jeremy Boreing, Co-CEO, The Daily Wire: “His performance as a 2020 presidential debate moderator should disqualify him from any position in journalism. Second only to Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz. Candy Crowley seems quaint after. Wallace may have been a straight news man before 2016, but Trump unmade him.”
- Caleb Hull, digital media strategist: “Chris Wallace going from Fox News to CNN is a big yikes career move. CNN’s audience will hate Chris Wallace. They are tuning in for 24/7 coverage of January 6th and whatever other outrage brings them the ratings. This isn’t Chris Wallace’s style at all.”
- Jesse Kelly, political commentator: “CNN must have money-whipped him bad. That’s the only reason an established guy would drastically reduce his audience on purpose. Guessing Wallace got PAID.”
- David Reaboi, political commentator: “Chris Wallace going to CNN is perfect. It’ll enrage the CNN viewer who’s told all day on that network that Fox News is evil personified.”