CNN is down one potato after the network canceled host Brian Stelter's Sunday media affairs show, Reliable Sources, leaving tens of fans crestfallen.
In a statement to NPR, Stelter said he's grateful to the network, and the staff who worked with him covering "the media, truth and the stories that shape our world."
"It was a rare privilege to lead a weekly show focused on the press at a time when it has never been more consequential," said Stelter, who will elaborate on Sunday's show - its final episode.
Stelter got his start blogging about cable news as a student and went on to become a media reporter for The New York Times. Reliable Sources is the longest-running show on CNN; Stelter has hosted it for the past nine years and celebrated its 30th anniversary in March.
CNN chief Chris Licht informed Stelter of the decision yesterday. Licht has been making cuts throughout the network since taking the helm as part of Warner Bros. Discovery's takeover of the old Time Warner company. Stelter, who often touted the show's ratings on Twitter, was among those CNN hosts targeted for frequent criticism from conservatives for his coverage of the media in the Trump years. -NPR
We're going to do it one more time. One more show. This Sunday morning. The small but mighty producing team is working on bookings and ideas right now. I am in awe of their talent and I am going to do everything I can to help them find new roles. See you Sunday at 11am ET.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 18, 2022
Stelter's departure comes just over a week after he declared the Hunter Biden corruption scandal "not just a right-wing media story."
The potato-esque host's tenure comes to an end after major WarnerDiscovery stakeholder John Malone publicly criticized CNN for having become too politicized.
I know people love dunking on silly Stelter, but he was a legitimately malevolent and harmful presence on cable news. He just masked it with an unassuming demeanor. I hope wherever he lands next, he won't be able to do as much damage. https://t.co/pUMtu05RDy
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 18, 2022
Pretty much guaranteeing he's going to end up as the rw media columnist at the NY Times, fwiw.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 18, 2022
This montage never ceases to be relevantpic.twitter.com/lT5uLgMmPe
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) August 18, 2022
Where will Stelter go next?
BREAKING: Brian Stelter en route to Ukraine to join other washes up television pundits https://t.co/S7obquaeS8 pic.twitter.com/nK4o1uaviI
— Banana Republic Secret Affidavit Swan 🍌 (@TheWuhanClan) August 18, 2022
