who's talking to Chris Wallace?
What's next for Chris Wallace after the end of CNN+?
Does Chris Wallace have a future at CNN after the collapse of his brand new streaming home?
Wallace left Fox News last December to join CNN's streaming service, CNN+, where he hosted the daily talk show Who's Talking to Chris Wallace. But on Thursday, CNN announced the streamer will shut down just weeks after it launched. So what's next for those anchors who debuted new shows, Wallace included?
Wallace's show will likely move to the main CNN cable channel, Bloomberg reports. Similarly, Axios reports Wallace "could possibly move" to the CNN television network, citing a person close to the situation.
If so, it's not yet clear where Wallace's show could slot into the schedule. One option would be the 9 p.m. hour where fired anchor Chris Cuomo used to be, though Axios' Sara Fischer reports Wallace won't get that slot. Wallace has said he left Fox News after 18 years because he "no longer felt comfortable with the programming" on the network.
Other anchors who were tapped for CNN+ programming include Kasie Hunt, formerly of NBC News and MSNBC, and Audie Cornish, former host of NPR's All Things Considered. A streaming show from food writer Alison Roman was also on the way. "None of the high-profile hosts who were hired for CNN+ are expected to leave the company," Bloomberg reports.
The collapse of CNN+ came after the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, and incoming executives at Warner Bros. Discovery seemed to disagree with the decision to launch a separate CNN streaming service in the first place. "Consumers want simplicity and an all-in service which provides a better experience and more value than stand-alone offerings," Discovery streaming boss J.B. Perrette said, according to CNN.
Of the 700 people who work for CNN+, around 350 will be laid off, Axios reports. The service will officially shut down on April 30 after launching on March 29.