Chris Wallace says he's leaving CNN after three years and, at age 77, is eager to see what a transformed media environment has to offer.
“When I look at the media landscape right now, the people who are going independent, whether it's podcasting or streaming, that seems to be where the action is,” he said Tuesday.
It's hard to find a clearer sign of how the business is changing. Wallace is the quintessential broadcast newscaster, son of the CBS News legend Mike Wallace, worked at both ABC and NBC News and was host of “Fox News Sunday” for 18 years before exiting for CNN in 2021.
He was hired to be a leading personality for the CNN+ streaming service, which the company abandoned a month after its launch in 2022. That forced him to cobble together a role at CNN, with a Saturday morning political show and a broader interview program on Max, and appearances on the network as a commentator.
Wallace called the exit amicable. CNN CEO Mark Thompson called him “one of the most respected political journalists in the news business” and said that he wishes him the best.
Thompson likely faces some hard decisions in the future, with CNN's television ratings cratering and an increased emphasis on digital looming.
Wallace said having control over what he does is more appealing to him at this stage of his career. Don't expect big changes in his brand — he'll likely stick with interviews and political analysis, and not favor one political side over another — and he said he's already heard some expressions of interest.
Retirement's not in the blood. His father worked well into his late 80s at “60 Minutes.” Besides, Chris Wallace said, “nobody in my family wants me to retire.”
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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
David Bauder, The Associated Press