The Chris Wallace Show, a Saturday edition of “The Chris Wallace Show,” featured a farewell from CNN’s Chris Wallace to his panelists and viewers at home.
Wallace, as we reported previously, announced his abrupt departure from the network that he joined in 2022. This was less than a week after the election. CNN’s election coverage ratings were down by a shocking 50 percent.
In a moment, I’ll explain more.
Former Fox News anchor, Michael Avenatti, thanked viewers for their thoughtful comments and expressed gratitude to those who shared concerns. He also revealed his only regret in leaving the network.
“Yep. I’m still around. Some of you might have heard that I’ve left CNN to pursue my future in new media. I decided months ago to leave CNN and I am thrilled to tackle a new challenge,” the actor said.
Wallace added, “My only regret in leaving is my fierce colleagues on the panel as well as the team who put this all together. And of course all of you.”
Chris Wallace says goodbye to the panel on Saturday’s The Chris Wallace Show.https://t.co/jN2kLf5QD4
— Rusty (@Rusty_Weiss) November 17, 2024
Wallace reiterates his claim that he had been planning to leave the network and that this has nothing to do with its terrible ratings or rumored upcoming layoffs.
The Daily Mail defines him, however, as the “first casualty” of “layoffs,” while Lachlan Cartwright, a journalist at The Ankler, reported over a year ago that he was asked to accept a pay cut.
The Mail reports that CNN CEO Mark Thompson informed Chris Wallace that his two shows – “Who’s Talking With Chris Wallace?” The Chris Wallace Show and “The Chris Wallace Show”, had both been “axed” by CNN CEO Mark Thompson. However, he was allowed to stay with the network as a reduced analyst.
He went on the air soon after to declare a renewed interest in podcasts and streaming, claiming that this is “where it seems to be.”
77-year-old Chris Wallace will quit CNN and walk away from a seven-figure salary rather than renegotiate his contract. His plan is to go into independent streaming or podcasting, pointing to Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God’s reach as inspiration.
Legacy news outlets are losing… pic.twitter.com/W8osi6V1q1
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 12, 2024
The Daily Mail is skeptical that this new pursuit was not related to CNN issues, as he revealed he had “ended up quitting” and “insisted his decision was completely his own”, even though “he does not appear to have any new job lined up.”
This is a sign of a hasty move.
Wallace claims otherwise.
He told Puck News that it didn’t matter if anything was said or not in the meeting because he and his wife had decided to leave CNN six months earlier.
Wallace is unlikely to leave the network with which he signed a huge deal just two years ago unless there was a catalyst. He’s going to jump headfirst into podcasting, right?
Wallace noted in his first statement about his departure the success of podcasters like Joe Rogan and Charlamagne Tha God.
He lamented, “I do not flatter myself that I would have such a reach.”
The veteran anchor’s debut in streaming was a complete disaster. It happened to CNN. You might remember that he was going to be the face of CNN+, CNN’s streaming service. You may have just blinked if you can’t remember.
CNN+ had a bad run. It quickly became CNN-, and the network announced it would close less than a month after its launch. Wallace suffered from “daily breakdowns” just weeks after its launch.
CNN has been reportedly preparing for hundreds of layoffs, according to reports.
