In a significant shift for the iconic CBS news magazine, Anderson Cooper officially announced that he is stepping away from 60 Minutes after nearly two decades. His recent interview with filmmaker Ken Burns marked his last contribution to the program, setting the stage for a new chapter in his career. As he transitions from this notable role, Cooper reflects on the impact of his time at 60 Minutes, describing it as a pivotal achievement in his journalism journey.
Anderson Cooper’s segment with filmmaker Ken Burns, which aired Sunday, was his last interview for the long-running CBS news magazine. Cooper announced Monday that he’s leaving as a correspondent for the program after nearly 20 years, per the Hollywood Reporter. In a statement, he called the role “one of the great honors of my career,” per USA Today. “I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business.” Cooper is letting his CBS contract expire but plans to keep his other job as a host for CNN.
Cooper, 58, began at 60 Minutes during the 2006-07 season and won two Emmys for his work on the show in 2017, per the Reporter. The split employment was part of an arrangement between CBS and CNN, where he anchors the nightly Anderson Cooper 360 and hosts the weekly newsmagazine The Whole Story, as well as the podcast and streaming program All There Is. Cooper said he’s been able to balance the two jobs, stating that he has “little kids now and I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time with me.”
His departure is the first major on-air change at 60 Minutes under new CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who has eliminated jobs on CBS Evening News and is looking to cut more at the network, per Variety. The program has drawn attention in recent months, including over Weiss’ last-minute move in December to pull a segment on El Salvador’s CECOT prison. Weiss tried to recruit Cooper to anchor the Evening News last year, per the Los Angeles Times.
