(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- With the swift demise of CNN+, CNN anchor Chris Wallace has finally spoken out.
Wallace departed Fox News for a new job at CNN and a hosting gig on CNN+.
Now that the streaming service has failed, Wallace told The Hill he’s unsure where his career will go.
Wallace did claim, however, that he is in “excellent shape,” whether at CNN or elsewhere.
Wallace spoke Sunday during a live-streamed gathering of the Common Ground Committee, a New York City-based nonprofit promoting “public conversation.” The panel included Jonathan Karl, ABC News’ top Washington reporter.
“Media, Politics, and Polarization” was the theme of former CBS News journalist Jacqueline Adams’ event. About 20 minutes into the debate, she asked Wallace about the future of news streaming platforms.
Incredibly, CNN+ will be closing off at the end of this week, Chris. “How should readers react?” she asks. “Are there enough news sources already, and is streaming dead?”
“Wow,” Wallace said. “It’s intriguing, and I’ve been a victim of it all this week.”
The sympathy for the smug Wallace is hard to muster up.
CNN+ started on March 29, but Warner Bros. Discovery stated last week that it would be shut down on April 30.
When he joined CNN+, Wallace said that some very clever people were arguing that the future of cable news was at risk because people were unbundling. These massive, pricey 50-channel cable agreements are gone. The aim was to acquire a footing in the streaming world because that’s where the future of news off the conventional networks would be.
Now you have some equally clever folks with opposing views.
The new owners of CNN+, Warner Bros. Discovery, have decided that a narrowly focused offering like a news streaming service doesn’t work.
“I have no notion what is right or wrong, but the Discovery people are in charge,” Wallace stated.
Wallace’s demeanor contrasted with accounts of how he handled CNN+’s demise. Reports were that behind closed doors, he was furious.
As the news about CNN+ got worse, Wallace allegedly had “daily breakdowns” and had his crew monitor how often his show’s promos were broadcast.
After Netflix announced last week that it had lost 200,000 customers in the first quarter of the year, its stock dropped 35%. Wallace observed how swiftly the media environment had transformed.
On the streaming service, Wallace hosted “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?”
Wallace told Adams he wasn’t worried about himself but about all the CNN+ staffers who lost their jobs due to the streaming service’s incapacity to compete in a competitive media environment.
Wallace, the victim, said that “he’ll be alright.” He’s in shape, whether at CNN or elsewhere, but his concern is for his team and hundreds of others.
He believes CNN+ employed 300 workers. Some had deserted CNN for streaming. Some had migrated across the nation. He says many CNN+ anchors are doing their best to defend their team.
