CNN fired Chris Cuomo, its most-watched anchor, on Saturday, in the wake of revelations he had helped his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, while he faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment — a breach of journalistic ethics and in ways of which CNN management had not previously been aware.
The WarnerMedia-backed news outlet, which suspended Chris Cuomo earlier this week, said it would continue its investigation into the work he did for his sibling. The company also said it had retained an outside law firm to conduct its review, citing “additional information that “has come to light.” CNN intends to continue to investigate its former employee’s behavior despite its decision.
Statement on Chris Cuomo’s termination from CNN. pic.twitter.com/yKPwYtMznD
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) December 4, 2021
Cuomo, who in the past has acknowledged he felt his family ties were stronger than his journalism callings, reiterated some of that in a new statement. “This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” Cuomo wrote in a statement on his official Twitter. “So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot. I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”
A spokesman for CNN did not respond immediately to a query seeking additional information.
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) December 4, 2021
The move leaves CNN with a big hole to fill. While Cuomo’s 9 p.m. program, “Cuomo Prime Time,” was regularly beaten in the ratings by its two main time-slot rivals, Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” it is CNN’s most popular program. Michael Smerconish, a popular talk-show host who leads a Saturday-morning program on CNN, is slated to take the reins of the 9 p.m. hour next week, but Jeff Zucker, CNN’s leader, will no doubt be working to devise a set of new options for the slot.
In TV-news circles, people have begun to speculate that CNN could move Don Lemon, its 10 p.m. host, an hour earlier, and try something new later in the evening. Brianna Keilar, who has been co-anchoring CNN’s “New Day” morning show and displayed a combative style similar to Cuomo’s, has become a favorite of Zucker’s in recent months, according to people familiar with the network. Over the years, CNN has tested a number of primetime concepts, including an hour led by Laura Coates, a former Department of Justice prosecutor; and several hours anchored by Washington-based anchor Jake Tapper. Brian Williams, the NBC News veteran, is leaving that outlet at the end of 2022, and would seem like an interesting fit or CNN, but people familiar with that anchor’s thinking say he’s no longer interested in a daily assignment. TV-news executives say finding a personality ready for prime time has become increasingly difficult in recent months, as demand for talent has increased due to all the activity built around new streaming-video hubs. CNN is expected to launch its own streaming-video effort in 2022.
CNN has protected Cuomo for months after The Washington Post disclosed he had helped his brother. Executives felt the anchor was the victim of unique circumstances — caught between the duties of his job and his love for a sibling who also happened to be a senior state government official. But even CNN bosses lost their patience earlier this week. On Tuesday, CNN announced that it was suspending Cuomo “indefinitely, pending further evaluation,” after passel of messages and communications released by the New York State Attorney General revealed that Chris Cuomo was actively involved in tracking down leads about stories that might affect his brother’s political status. Cuomo also spoke regularly with his brother’s senior staffers during this period.
“I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past. I mean it. The last thing I ever wanted to do was compromise any of my colleagues and do anything but help,” Cuomo said earlier this week during an Sirius XM Satellite Radio show that he regularly hosts. “I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past, and I mean it.”