Anderson Cooper Exits 60 Minutes After 20 Years, Citing Time With Young Children
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · May 18
Anderson Cooper Exits 60 Minutes After 20 Years, Citing Time With Young Children
17 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · May 18
Sunday night’s sign-off ended Cooper’s 20-year run on 60 Minutes, with the CNN anchor saying weekend work on the CBS newsmagazine had taken time away from his young children.
Cooper said CNN scheduling left him reporting for 60 Minutes mostly on weekends and even using vacation time for pieces, making the arrangement increasingly difficult despite calling the job “an honor of a life.”
In his farewell, Cooper praised the program’s independence, patience and viewer trust, and said he hopes its core identity survives even as the show evolves.
His exit comes amid newsroom speculation over changes under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and Paramount Skydance’s ownership, though Cooper publicly framed the decision as a family choice.
With Anderson Cooper gone, can 60 Minutes survive its controversial new leadership and direction?
As news giants face takeovers, what is the true cost to journalistic independence and public trust?