Chris Wallace makes first CNN appearance — could he be showing up there more regularly?
By MixDex Article may include affiliate links
Former Fox host turned CNN+ anchor Chris Wallace is already showing up more on CNN proper — but could that be a permanent move as the network looks to fill its key 9 p.m. primetime spot?
Wallace decamped from Fox in December 2021 and later announced he had signed on to host a program for CNN+, the cable network’s then the yet-to-be-launched streaming platform.
Ahead of the CNN+ launch, Wallace revealed that working at Fox had become “unsustainable” during the Trump administration, which led to him leaving after 18 years.
His new show, “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?,” is an interview-driven format that dropped its first episode March 29, 2022, the same day the service launched. The show is notably only offered Monday through Thursday.
Wallace appeared on CNN’s “New Day” morning newscast March 31, 2022, discussing the Ukraine-Russia conflict, marking his first appearance on the primary network.
Even before CNN+ launched, Wallace’s name had been bandied around as a possible 9 p.m. replacement for Chris Cuomo, who was fired from the network in December 2021.
Reports have surfaced claiming that Wallace and incoming CNN president Chris Licht have had discussions about a bigger role for him at the network, though nothing official has been announced. It’s also not clear if he would continue his CNN+ duties should such a move happen.
Wallace, however, is likely being paid a significant salary, so bringing him to the primary cable channel could be appealing — especially if his contract has an allowance for him to host two shows for the same pay.
It’s also conceivable he could host the 9 p.m. hour on CNN and continue hosting “Who’s Talking” for CNN+ a 6 p.m., especially since the latter program is already produced earlier in the day. In some cases, interviews could even be taped in advance or even in batches.
Assuming he kept hosting two shows, His Monday to Thursday schedule could also help lighten the workload of hosting both, or the network could opt to have him follow the same pattern at 9 p.m.
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