Brian Stelter Announces Triumphant Return to CNN

Time seems to come full circle for Brian Stelter this week.

The former CNN anchor announced his return to the network and his “Reliable Sources” newsletter just two months after his successor, Oliver Darcy, left the organization.

Stelter was fired in 2022 during Chris Licht’s tenure as CEO, known for his efforts to remove those critical of Donald Trump and other Republicans. After his departure, Stelter wrote a book on Fox News and the 2020 election and joined Vanity Fair as a special correspondent.

He shared his return through a message to the “Reliable Sources” email list.

“The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed a lot since I signed off two years ago,” Stelter wrote. “I loved my old life as the anchor of a Sunday morning show but, to borrow some lingo from my video game blogger days, I finished that level of the game. Time for new levels, new challenges.”

Stelter is set to start his role on September 9, just a day before the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

“I’m very happy to welcome Brian back to CNN in this new role,” said CNN CEO Mark Thompson in a statement. “Brian is one of the best global experts in media commentary, and as the founder of the Reliable Sources newsletter, he is the perfect choice to lead Reliable Sources into its next chapter.”

The announcement comes under a month after Darcy, who succeeded Stelter, left CNN to launch his own newsletter, “Status.” Darcy’s departure was highlighted by a profile in The New York Times, depicting him as “CNN’s media chronicler” striking out on his own. While Darcy did not comment on Stelter’s return, Stelter mentioned in his Tuesday email that he believes their products would “complement each other wonderfully.”

CNN confirmed they approached Stelter with the title of “Chief Media Analyst” soon after Darcy left, aiming for a relaunch by fall. Stelter promised in his email to “reimagine the Reliable Sources digest,” hinting at a redesign to differentiate it from Darcy’s offering.

Stelter’s departure was part of a broader move by Warner Bros. board member John Malone, who called for the network to “evolve into actual journalism” and avoid critique of right-wing figures. This period also saw the removal of John Harwood and the eventual ouster of Don Lemon.

Stelter’s return gives critics a chance to claim CNN is reverting to its earlier, more critical stance toward Republicans. Stelter faced a lot of criticism from Fox News, with Sean Hannity calling him “Humpty Dumpty” and Greg Gutfeld making him the butt of many jokes. When Stelter was fired, Trump even suggested he should “REST IN PEACE!”

However, CNN seems less concerned with such pressures now, during its reinvention phase.

The network plans to launch its first digital subscription product by the end of the year, and Stelter’s revamped Reliable Sources—an established brand with a familiar face—could be integral to that offering.

Source: The Daily Beast