CNN’s new owners are overhauling the network in an effort to shed its reputation as a purveyor of propaganda and former Fox News host Chris Wallace is not fairing well.
A disgruntled Wallace left Fox News spewing unkind words about his former co-workers and the network that gave him everything.
Wallace switched sides and moved over to be a “star” anchor on CNN’s new streaming service.
However, CNN Plus was doomed from the start and quickly came crashing down, taking Wallace’s career with it.
The Wallace-led streaming service didn’t make it a month before CNN’s new ownership took one look at the failing platform and shut it down.
While Wallace has a big contract at CNN, the network can’t fire him, so they gave him the worst job in TV instead.
According to Adweek, CNN Worldwide CEO Chris Licht is sticking Wallace in the Sunday 7 pm slot where he will face stiff competition.
“Licht announced back in May at the company upfront that Wallace’s interview streaming program on CNN+ named Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? will stream on HBO Max—and air on the CNN TV network weekly on Sunday evenings; but he did not disclose a timeslot. Until now,” Ad Week said.
“A big part of the CNN brand is respectful, authentic, and impactful interviews—and one of the best interviewers in the business is Chris Wallace,” Licht said earlier.
“We’re excited to announce that Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? will return to production this fall, with episodes on HBO Max and on our CNN linear channel on Sunday evenings.
“Chris’s show will be part of what we’re calling ‘CNN Sunday.’
“It’s a unique opportunity for your brands to appear alongside our premium content.”
CNN Worldwide CEO Chris Licht added, “Chris and his team developed an engaging and compelling program that we’re excited to bring to HBO Max and include in our CNN Sunday evening programming.”
According to Axios:
“Wallace, who was hosting an interview show four days per week on the streaming service, will move to a weekly Sunday evening show on CNN’s linear network, two sources tell Axios.
“Later during the presentation, the network confirmed the move and noted that Wallace’s same interview show from CNN+ will debut this fall on HBO Max and will be on CNN Sunday evenings.”
Wallace said after the CNN Plus failure: “Two weeks ago, streaming was king.
“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.”
“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.
