Anderson Cooper is one of TV’s best-known news anchors, but his new agent isn’t known for a strict specialty in representing talent tied to video journalism.
Cooper has aligned himself with CAA CEO Bryan Lourd, according to four people familiar with the matter, and the selection is being taken as a possible sign that the CNN mainstay may be looking to explore other opportunities as the economics of TV news become more shaky. Cooper has been with CNN since 2001, but over the years hosted a daytime program distributed under the aegis of CNN’s then-parent corporation, Time Warner; guest-hosted the game show “Jeopardy”; and was considered as a potential co-host for Kelly Ripa on Disney’s syndicated morning program “Live.” He also works as a correspondent for CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” which allows him to run the segments he reports for the newsmagazine on CNN.
CAA declined to comment on Cooper’s representation at the agency, and a CNN spokesperson who represents Cooper’s long-running program, “Anderson Cooper 360,” also declined to comment. Semafor previously reported Cooper had moved to CAA after a long stint being represented by UTA.
It’s growing more difficult to be a veteran TV anchor. Many of the medium’s top faces are being asked to take salary cuts, and a bevy have exited in recent months. Hoda Kotb, the popular “Today” co-anchor, left her regular posts at the NBC morning franchise and now works as a contributor. CNN parted ways with the veteran Chris Wallace, and Fox News Channel cut ties with a long-standing anchor, Neil Cavuto. Other veterans who have left their mainstream media perches include Don Lemon, Chuck Todd, Jim Acosta and Alisyn Camerota.
Many of the corporations that support news divisions face existential dilemmas. Paramount Global, parent of CBS News, is working to be acquired by Skydance Media, which has vowed to cut another $1.5 billion in costs off the company’s balance sheet — following $500 million in cuts that have already taken place. Warner Bros. Discovery, parent of CNN, is restructuring itself so that its cable networks are housed in a different publicly traded entity from its production studios and streaming platforms. Many on Wall Street see the maneuver as one that could set up its TV networks for potential sale.
The news assets of NBCUniversal are navigating through an uncertain time as parent Comcast spins off the bulk of its cable networks, separating MSNBC and CNBC from NBC News. Fox Corp., which sold off many of its cable and entertainment assets to Disney in 2019, has fared better than many of its competitors in recent years, but it faces challenges as well. The company’s controlling Murdoch family is at odds about how Fox and sister News Corp. will be governed should founder Rupert Murdoch, 93, die. And its Fox News unit is expected to face a defamation lawsuit as soon as this year levied by voting-technology firm Smartmatic that seeks $2 billion for debunked claims aired on the network about that company’s role in rigging the 2020 presidential election, which was conducted legally and without interference.
At the same time, many popular TV journalists are testing new digital waters, setting up Substack newsletters or YouTube video podcasts. Joy Reid, who recently left MSNBC, has launched a three-day-a-week YouTube program she hopes to expand to five days.
Cooper has been with CNN for so long that his visage is as recognizable as the bright red letters in the network’s signature logo. Under CEO Mark Thompson, CNN has articulated a strategy of building new digital products, including a weather app, even as its flagship linear cable network grapples with eroding ratings.
Cooper’s last publicly-disclosed contract extension came in 2016, when CNN signed him to a long-term deal that was said to last for as long as five years. At the time, the pact was seen as a way to take the anchor out of the running for the daytime gig with ABC and Ripa. For Cooper, who has gained traction for a podcast that centers on how people deal with grief and for hosting New Year’s Eve on CNN alongside friend, TV producer and Bravo host Andy Cohen, examining other options could make sense, even if the regard CNN viewers and producers have for him remains strong.
Source link
