CNN host without a show Chris Wallace is speaking about the epic flop of CNN’s streaming service and he is whining about the loss suggesting no one saw it coming.
Chris of course is believing his own hype because many warned that a network no one watches for free would have a hard time charging for their content.
Wallace said he is not sure what his future holds at the network following the abrupt cancelation of CNN+, the streaming service he left a cushy job at Fox News to help launch, Sunday evening during an event hosted by the group Common Ground.
“Two weeks ago, streaming was king,” Wallace said. “Now suddenly streaming is in an ICU on life support. I have absolutely no idea which is right and which is wrong, but the Discovery people are in charge and so they’ve made the decision.”
He continued: “I’m in good shape, whether it’s CNN or someplace else.
“Frankly, what I’m mostly concerned about right now, and very, is my team and hundreds of other people that had jobs at CNN+.
“Some of them had left CNN to go to streaming.
“Some of them had left other places, moved across the country.
“And so, I think you’re seeing a lot of the anchors at CNN+ doing everything they can to protect the people that were working on their team and to make sure they either get a safe landing at CNN or someplace else,” Wallace said.
From The New York Post:
Warner Bros. Discovery laid off roughly 300 junior CNN+ staffers as part of cost-cutting measures after the $5.99 per-month service produced dismal results at launch. Wallace was one of the most prominent journalists attached to the service, which he joined after 18 years at Fox News.
While former top brass such as ousted ex-president Jeff Zucker and WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar felt the news streaming service’s launch was part of a necessary “wave of the future,” Wallace said his new bosses have “come to the conclusion that having a narrow, niche product like a news streaming service doesn’t work.”
Speaking to Deadline late last week Wallace said: “My primary concern right now is taking care of my team.” Many of the stars the streaming service hired have contracts that will be paid out but many of the staffers do not according to another high-profile hire.
Jemele Hill, who had a show starting next month on the streaming service, said:
“Some of y’all are going to try to get jokes off at my expense but I’m going to be fine — it’s called a contract, learn about it.
“But there are people who are part of our show staff who do not have the same protection. Good people will be out of work. But go off tho.”
Wallace’s executive producer, Javier de Diego, said:
“Adding to an already awful day: People on here celebrating the demise of a project hundreds worked hard to accomplish, and praising their potential unemployment.
“Seemingly for political reasons. Can people be human for once? Have some empathy.”
Another expensive hire was former NBC reporter Kasie Hunt who said on her show on Friday she would be staying at CNN “covering our leaders, elections, the future of democracy for CNN, and I hope to see you there.”
Scott Galloway, who hosted a weekly show focused on technology, media and society, said:
“Nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.
“The only thing I know about this is that this has been so much fun and I feel so blessed to have been a part of something that was so much fun and work with such interesting and talented people.”
Judge Jeanine: “I was sitting next to a guy who was drunk on a plane and he vomited all over me.”
Gutfeld: “Was it Chris Wallace?” pic.twitter.com/USiBI8CYuf
— Kevin Tober (@KevinTober94) April 21, 2022
