Chris Wallace Leaves CNN to Focus on Streaming

Seasoned American television broadcaster Chris Wallace announced his intention to leave CNN to transition to a digital career as a streamer.

The 77-year-old told The Daily Beast on Monday (Nov. 11) that he would quit the network for an independent platform like streaming or podcasting as he saw the alternative media as “where the action seems to be” following the influence of podcasters like Joe Rogan in the recent US presidential election cycle.

He recently came into the spotlight after he correctly predicted on CNN’s election coverage that Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris would need a “miracle” to win against Republican hopeful Donald Trump, which she lost 312-226 in the electoral college, as well as in the popular vote. 

Wallace Wraps Up TV Career

It is understood that Wallace is walking away from his seven-figure job and not renewing his contract with CNN, which would expire by the end of the year. 

His departure from the network also meant that his half-century career in broadcast television — including stints from NBC, ABC, and Fox News — is also coming to an end, which he explained was a breath of fresh air. 

“This is the first time in 55 years I‘ve been between jobs,” he added. “I am actually excited and liberated by that.”

Wallace further stressed that his exit was not due to ill will against CNN, saying that he only had “positive things to say” despite him outlasting his purpose of becoming a presenter for the network’s streaming service, CNN+, which was shut down in 2022. 

On the other hand, CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson commended Wallace’s contributions to the network, calling him “one of the most respected political journalists” in the business. 

“We want to thank him for the dedication and wisdom he’s brought to all his work at CNN and to wish him the very best for the future,” Thompson added. 

In the span of his career, Wallace has interviewed a number of public personalities. He has also written his “Countdown” book series, which has so far highlighted the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, the 1960 US presidential election, and the death of Osama bin Laden.

Changing Face of Broadcast Media, Journalism

Prior to Wallace’s announcement, several journalists and media presenters have decided to walk away from broadcast media to become independent commentators on their own terms, with long-time rival Tucker Carlson, as well as Megyn Kelly, Don Lemon, and Mehdi Hassan as some of the career pioneers. 

On the other hand, other broadcasters like former NBC presenter Hoda Kotb decided to quit after refusing to accept a contract valued below $20 million, triggering network executives to balance negotiating with their remaining hosts and keeping their businesses afloat.

However, Wallace refused to follow in the footsteps of ex-network journalists who turned to partisan politics and instead rely on his own experiences as a seasoned journalist and book author. 

“I am clearly not going to become a hard-right or hard-left advocate,” he stressed. “It’s just absent from my DNA.”