It appears Humpty Dumpty has sat on the wall for the last time.
Brian Stelter confirmed that his “Reliable Sources” CNN show is being canceled in a Thursday statement to NPR.
“It was a rare privilege to lead a weekly show focused on the press at a time when it has never been more consequential,” said the struggling weekend host. The host also said he’s leaving the network.
Stelter said that he would say more about his departure from CNN in Sunday’s show — which would be the final broadcast of “Reliable Sources.”
As a so-called journalist, Stelter obsessively fixated on conservative media.
Stelter’s “focus on the press” tended not to extend to powerful government officials, such as President Joe Biden.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity last year dubbed him a “fake news Humpty Dumpty” after Stelter claimed Hannity was stoking political divisions in the U.S., according to the New York Post.
After a corporate merger led to new leadership at CNN, Stelter’s hit-piece model of journalism came under scrutiny from new network executives.
Stelter’s show floundered in the ratings after Biden took office, with audiences tuning out of a program that primarily focused on criticism of CNN’s competitors in the world of news media.
Is this the right move for CNN?
CNN chairman Christ Licht reportedly informed Stelter of the decision to cancel his show Wednesday.
Critics of Stelter argued that he laundered disinformation and extremism against the political opponents of the Democratic Party.
“Stelter came to CNN from the New York Times as the nation’s top media reporter,” said a CNN vice president of the move, confirming Stelter’s departure from the network, according to NPR.
“He departs CNN 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.”
Stelter claimed his phone had run out of battery just as news of his show’s cancellation broke on Thursday morning.
I picked a bad day to violate the ABC rule — Always Be Charging. I took the kiddos out sightseeing in midtown Manhattan and my phone’s at 2% ??♂️
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 18, 2022
It’s not yet clear what CNN intends to run as a replacement for Stelter’s struggling show.
The show aired every Sunday morning, and Stelter was frequently a guest on weekday CNN programming.
