Anderson Cooper is preparing to move away from 60 minutes after almost 20 years as a correspondent, marking a significant moment in the long career CBS News broadcast amid the current turmoil within the company.
The veteran journalist, who has balanced his role at the Sunday night news magazine with his full-time job at cnnhas chosen not to renew its agreement with CBS Newsaccording to people familiar with the decision.
Its final segment, a profile of documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, aired Sunday.
In a statement, Anderson Cooper said the decision was deeply personal.
“Being a correspondent in 60 minutes It has been one of the great honors of my career. I got to tell incredible stories and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business.
For almost twenty years, I have been able to balance my jobs in cnn and C.B.S.but now I have young children and I want to spend as much time as possible with them, while they still want to spend time with me.”
Cooper joined 60 minutes during the 2006-2007 season, becoming one of the few journalists to hold prominent roles on both network and cable television.
Over the years, his reporting for the show earned him multiple Emmy Awards, including stories about jazz prodigy Joey Alexander and the African prisoners whose music won a Grammy.
While Cooper recently signed a new agreement to remain in cnnwhere his work includes Anderson Cooper 360°, the long-running series the whole story and the podcast everything there ishis departure from 60 minutes comes at a difficult time for CBS News.
The show has been caught up in broader corporate and editorial disputes related to Paramount Global’s sale to Skydance.
Last year, 60 minutes became a focus of a legal fight after Donald Trump sued the show over edits made to an interview with Kamala Harris.
Although CBS News As lawyers deemed the case meritless, Paramount ultimately agreed to a $16 million settlement, which was internally deemed necessary to avoid regulatory hurdles.
During this period, executive producer Bill Owens resigned, followed later by Wendy McMahon, head of the news division.
Editorial tensions continued more recently when a report on deportations to El Salvador was withdrawn after being promoted.
The correspondent involved criticized the measure as political rather than editorial. The segment eventually aired weeks later with additional context, but without comment from a Trump administration official.
The changes have come under the leadership of Bari Weiss, the current editor-in-chief of CBS Newswhose efforts to reshape the division have drawn criticism from staff and contributed to unrest within the newsroom.
In a statement acknowledging Cooper’s departure, CBS News said: “For more than two decades, Anderson Cooper has taken 60 minutes Viewers traveling to faraway places told us unforgettable stories, reported important investigations, and interviewed many prominent figures.
We are grateful to him for dedicating a large part of his life to this broadcast and we understand the importance of spending more time with family. 60 minutes “He will be here if he ever wants to come back.”
Cooper briefly appeared on the show during his last minute segment on Sunday, and while it’s unclear if that will be his last moment on air this season, his departure eliminates one of the show’s most recognizable faces.
For now, Cooper remains firmly anchored in cnnwhile 60 minutes continues to go through a period of uncertainty behind the scenes.
