(Fwrd Axis) — CNN announced Thursday it has canceled media affairs show Reliable Sources and chief media reporter Brian Stelter is departing the network after nine years.
Stelter has hosted the show for the past nine years and its final show will air on Sunday, the network said.
“We appreciate his contributions to the network and wish him well as he embarks on new endeavors,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement.
“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,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development of CNN Worldwide, in a statement.
The news comes after reports suggested CNN president Chris Licht had not been happy with Stelter’s reporting and his departure could signal concerns for other CNN anchors such as Jim Acosta and Don Lemon.
Licht has indicated he would like to see the network move away from its partisan reporting and attract Republicans and Democrats alike. The move is the first major programming decision for Licht, who took over CNN earlier this year. Next month will see “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace” air on Sundays as Chris Wallace interviews political figures and celebrities alike.
Stelter’s show has been averaging 787,000 viewers, far lower than the 1.5 million viewers Fox News gets on Sundays. The host had been critical of Fox News and its media reporting, often calling out the network on the show. Meanwhile, it may not be long before Shelter finds another job with a network with MSNBC having shows on Peacock.
The CNN digital media team and the popular Reliable Sources newsletter will continue with Oliver Darcy.
