Woodkirk Stone
Wallace made the shattering announcement of his departure at the end of “Fox News Sunday,” the flagship weekly political show he has hosted since 2003.
“This is the last time, and I say it with real sadness, we’ll meet like this,†Wallace said. He described his time at Fox as a “great ride” and said he was “ready for a new adventure”.
This adventure will take place at CNN, where Wallace will become the anchor for CNN +, a streaming service launched in early 2022. According to the CNN press release, Wallace will host a weekday show featuring interviews with reporters “at through politics, business, sport and culture. “
“I am delighted to join CNN +,†Wallace said in a statement. “After decades in broadcast and cable news, I’m excited to explore the world of streaming. I look forward to the new freedom and flexibility that streaming offers by interviewing major figures in the news landscape – and finding new ways to tell stories. “
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker said Wallace’s appointment “speaks volumes about our commitment to journalism and CNN +, and we’re delighted to have Chris downstairs to help us build the next one. generation of CNN and news “.
Wallace, 74, had several options when his four-year contract with Fox neared its end earlier this year. Wallace ultimately decided he didn’t want to renew with Fox, according to someone with knowledge of the matter.
Many Fox staff congratulated Wallace on Sunday and said they were disappointed with the news.
“It’s sad to see Chris go – he had an incredible run on ‘Fox News Sunday’,†chief political presenter Bret Baier wrote on Twitter.
Fox congratulated Wallace and said he would alternate hosts on “Fox News Sunday” until a permanent moderator is appointed.
“We are extremely proud of our journalism and the stellar team of which Chris Wallace has been a part for 18 years,” the network said in a brief statement. “The legacy of ‘Fox News Sunday’ will continue with our star reporters, many of whom will change roles until a permanent host is appointed.”
Wallace is known for his harsh, but fair, interrogation of Democratic and Republican politicians. His reputation for grilling members of both parties has made him highly respected in journalistic circles, but has often angered Fox audiences who have shown immense loyalty to former President Donald Trump. This was especially true when Wallace called Trump directly, especially when he said the former president “has engaged in the most direct and sustained attack in our history on the free press.”
In recent years, Fox News, which has always leaned to the right, has morphed into a hyper-partisan, right-wing chat network that regularly pushes conspiracy theories on a wide variety of topics. Even many of the network’s so-called “direct†presenters have abandoned any pretense of impartiality.
The network’s main host, Tucker Carlson, has drawn extraordinary criticism for producing a special report arguing the misconception that the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill was a federally orchestrated “false flag”. Carlson also trafficked anti-vaccine rhetoric and pushed the racist “Big Replacement†conspiracy theory on his show.