CNN cancels ‘Reliable Sources,’ host Brian Stelter to depart network

CNN has canceled media news and talk show “Reliable Sources” and its host, Brian Stelter is leaving the network.

“It was a rare privilege to lead a weekly show focused on the press at a time when it has never been more consequential,” Stelter told The Hill, noting Sunday would be the last edition of the “Reliable Sources” program he has hosted on the network for almost a decade.

CNN President Chris Licht reportedly informed Stelter of the network’s decision to cancel “Reliable Sources” earlier this week.

In a statement to NPR, Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, said Stelter leaves the company “an impeccable broadcaster.”

“We are proud of what Brian and his team accomplished over the years, and we’re confident their impact and influence will long outlive the show,” Entelis said.

Stelter is considered one of the top media reporters and critics in the country, serving as the New York Times’s chief media correspondent after getting his start blogging about the television news industry while still a student in college.

Much of his coverage, and that of CNN’s entire media team in recent years, has focused on former President Trump, Fox News and the conservative media ecosystem generally.

Stelter was among other hosts on a list reported by Axios this year that Licht was evaluating as the network’s president looks to refocus its editorial strategy. The media company suffered a major blow after investing in its now-defunct streaming service CNN+. Stelter was slated to host a daily streaming show on CNN+ before it was shuttered. 

Licht, in public statements to advertisers and internal town hall meetings and memos, has signaled he would like to see CNN move away from what critics have said is a tilt to the left in its commentary and moderation, as well as sensationalism that left the network touting “breaking news” frequently.