Chris Wallace Leaves CNN, Hopes To Become Full-Time Podcaster
Chris Wallace is leaving CNN, the broadcaster told the Daily Beast Monday night.
While characterized as his decision, Wallace's future at CNN has been uncertain since its beginning. In late 2021, Wallace left Fox News and signed a reported $7 million-a-year deal with CNN as then-network president Jeff Zucker's pick to be the face of an upcoming streaming service called CNN+. However, Zucker resigned from the company two months later after failing to disclose an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate.
New management, under Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), inherited Wallace's hefty contract and was forced to make it work. In doing so, WBD streamed Wallace's CNN+ interview show, "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?," on HBO Max; featured him on election coverage; and made him host of an 11 a.m. program on Saturdays.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 29: Debate moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace directs the first presidential debate between U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3. (Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)
Already in cost-cutting mode, WBD was never going to renew Wallace at the salary for which Zucker signed him. Wallace would have had to take a substantial pay cut to continue at CNN.
Instead, the 77-year-old broadcaster told the Daily Beast he will look to find a home online, be it streaming or podcasting. He described podcasting as "where the action seems to be," highlighting how podcasters like Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God set the agenda during the 2024 presidential election.
He's right.
Podcasters were crucial in Trump's successful campaign to reach voters – particularly young men, who were either fed up with television news or cord-cutters. Namely, Rogan's episode with Trump from October 25 has 45 million YouTube views and 25 million podcast listens.
It was not just Rogan. Podcasters like Theo Von, Bussin' With The Boys, and the NELK Boys also hosted widely viewed interviews with Trump that cut through into mainstream circles.
Independent media is where money, freedom, and influence are heading. Seemingly, more of the biggest stars in television will look to pivot to podcasting over the next few years.
However, we aren't sure Wallace will find great success in doing so.
Chris Wallace Leaving CNN For Podcasting
Podcast listeners trend younger and are drawn to unpredictable, vibrant personalities. Wallace has never had a big personality. His tone and editorial style personify the legacy media, at which most podcast listeners cringe.
He also has baggage. Wallace moderated the highly criticized 2020 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, during which he showed blatant favoritism toward Biden.
(He showed David Muir the way.)
Granted, Wallace has name recognition. He is the son of industry titan Mike Wallace. And several of the podcast players could be drawn to signing an established newsman.
Wondery, Amazon's podcast platform, is worth monitoring. Amazon recently tapped former news anchor Brian Williams, who is from the same generation of news media as Wallace, to host a special election night broadcast on Prime Video.
"This is the first time in 55 years I‘ve been between jobs," Wallace concluded. "I am actually excited and liberated by that."
Potential wild card: NewsNation.
While Wallace says he wants to focus on podcasting, the upstart cable news network has deep pockets backed by Nexstar Media Group.
Former CNN host Chris Cuomo is the top host at NewsNation, where the priority is to feature recognizable voices – from contributors like Bill O'Reilly to Geraldo Rivera, from frequent guests like Stephen A. Smith to Adam Carolla.
NewsNation may see value in Wallace’s news chops.
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