CNN personality Chris Wallace offered a farewell message to his panel and the viewers at home during Saturday’s edition of “The Chris Wallace Show.”
As reported previously here at RedState, Wallace announced his sudden departure from the network he joined in January of 2022 less than a week after the elections. CNN’s ratings for their election coverage were down a staggering 50 percent.
More on that in just a bit.
The former Fox News anchor thanked viewers who had expressed concern and left thoughtful messages while revealing his one regret about leaving the network.
“Yep, I’m still here. As some of you may have heard, I’ve decided to leave CNN to pursue a future in new media. For those of you who are concerned – and thank you for your thoughtful notes – I decided to do this months ago and am excited to take on a new challenge,” he said.
“My only regret is leaving my feisty colleagues here on the panel and the wonderful team that puts all this together and of course, all of you,” added Wallace.
Wallace is reiterating claims that he has been planning his exit and that it has nothing to do with the network’s terrible rating or rumored impending layoffs.
The Daily Mail, though, defines him as the first casualty of “layoffs,” and journalist Lachlan Cartwright at The Ankler reported over a month ago that he had been asked to take a pay cut.
The Mail states that CNN CEO Mark Thompson had informed the anchor that both of his shows – “Who’s Talking with Chris Wallace?” and “The Chris Wallace Show” – had been “axed,” but he was offered a chance to stick with the network in a reduced analyst role.
Instead, he went on air shortly afterward to proclaim a newfound interest in streaming and podcasts, suggesting that’s “where the action seems to be.”
The Daily Mail seems skeptical of this new pursuit not being tied to issues at CNN, revealing he “ended up quitting and insisted his decision was entirely his own” even though he “does not appear to have a new job lined up.”
That indicates a move made rather hastily.
Wallace, though, is claiming otherwise.
“It doesn’t matter what was or wasn’t said in that meeting because I had already decided with my wife six months ago to leave CNN,” he defiantly told Puck News.
It seems highly unlikely that Wallace would leave a network he just inked a massive deal with barely two years ago without some catalyst for the departure. He’s just going to dive headfirst into podcasting?
Wallace, during his initial statement on his departure, noted the success of podcasters such as Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God.
“I don’t flatter myself to think I will have that sort of reach,” he lamented.
It should be noted that the veteran news anchor’s first foray into streaming was an utter disaster. And it happened with CNN. You may recall he was to be the face of CNN’s streaming service CNN+. If you don’t recall that, you may have blinked.
CNN+ suffered an embarrassing run, quickly becoming CNN– as the network announced it would be shuttered less than one month after its debut. Just weeks into its launch, Wallace was said to be suffering from “daily breakdowns.”
Wallace on Saturday hinted there could be one more goodbye forthcoming. We’ll see if that happens.
The awkward severing of ties comes as reports have surfaced indicting CNN is bracing for layoffs tallying in the hundreds.
