Brian Stelter, Fox Nemesis, Is Returning to CNN

Brian Stelter is returning to CNN as the network’s chief media analyst, two years after his departure. Stelter will also resume writing the “Inside Sources” newsletter, which he founded in 2015.

Announcing his new role on Wednesday, Stelter revealed that he will be the lead author of “Inside Sources.” Additionally, he will make on-air appearances as a media analyst and develop digital content for CNN. He clarified that he will not be bringing back his old Sunday morning TV show. Stelter noted that his new role “will be different” from his previous stint at CNN, adding, “because I am different.”

Over the past two years, the 39-year-old journalist has spent time as a stay-at-home dad caring for his two children, aged 7 and 5. During this period, Stelter also worked as a freelancer, wrote a book, and hosted the “Inside the Hive” podcast for Vanity Fair—a project he plans to continue until the end of the year.

Reflecting on his journey, Stelter wrote in the Reliable Sources newsletter, “I always scoffed at people who said, ‘getting fired was the best thing that’s ever happened to me’ — until, well, it happened to me. After 20+ years as a news junkie, I changed my habits and tuned out for a bit.”

He continued, “I also changed my vantage point, moving from Manhattan to a horse farm near one of Donald Trump’s golf clubs. I experienced the news more like an everyday consumer, and in doing so, I learned a whole lot about the attention economy and the information ecosystem. I’m looking forward to sharing what I learned with you.”

Stelter’s exit from CNN occurred during a period of significant change at the network, with then-CEO Chris Licht making efforts to remove what he perceived as overly liberal voices. The New York Times noted that Stelter was among the prominent network hosts identified as having a liberal tilt.

However, the following year saw Licht being ousted and replaced by Mark Thompson, who described Stelter as “one of the best global experts in media commentary.”

Fox News had a different take on Stelter’s return. Their report highlighted Stelter’s past as the host of “Reliable Sources,” where he discussed topics such as Russiagate, Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus response, and the Hunter Biden laptop story, which he called a “manufactured scandal” by the “right-wing media machine.”

Stelter is also the author of books including “Network of Lies” and “Hoax,” both of which delve into Fox News and Trump.

Source: The New York Times, Fox News