Anderson Cooper Exits ‘60 Minutes’ After Two Decades Amid Editorial Restructuring

2026-02-17 companies

New York, Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Declining a contract renewal to prioritize family, Cooper’s departure underscores significant strategic shifts and internal tension under Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss’s new leadership at CBS.

A Significant Departure in a Shifting Landscape

Anderson Cooper, a fixture of American broadcast journalism, has confirmed he will not renew his contract with 60 Minutes, ending a tenure that began during the 2006-2007 season [3][4]. The announcement, made on Monday, February 16, 2026, indicates that the 58-year-old anchor will depart the venerable CBS newsmagazine ahead of its fall season to dedicate more time to his family and his primary duties at CNN [7]. Cooper, who recently signed a new agreement with CNN in late 2025, stated that while his dual roles were sustainable for nearly two decades, his priority has shifted toward his young sons [1][3]. “I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they want to spend time with me,” Cooper remarked regarding the decision [1][6].

Strategic Shifts Under New Leadership

Cooper’s exit occurs against a backdrop of profound structural changes at CBS News following the acquisition of The Free Press by Paramount Skydance for $150 million [1]. This corporate consolidation ushered in Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief in October 2025, marking a new editorial era for the legacy broadcaster [2]. The transition has been tumultuous; the network is currently considering staff reductions that could impact at least 15% of the workforce [1]. Additionally, the news division has seen the departure of key executives, including 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and former CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who left in April 2025 [3]. Reports indicate that Weiss had previously attempted to recruit Cooper for the CBS Evening News anchor chair before the broadcast was ultimately reorganized around Tony Dokoupil in January 2026 [2][6].

Editorial Tensions and Legal Precedents

The environment at 60 Minutes has been strained by recent editorial disputes and legal challenges. In July 2025, Paramount settled a lawsuit with former President Donald Trump for $16 million concerning the editing of a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris [1][3]. More recently, internal friction surfaced regarding a segment on El Salvador’s CECOT prison. Weiss made the decision to pull the report, filed by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, shortly before its scheduled broadcast in December 2025, citing the need for comment from the Trump administration [1][4]. The segment eventually aired on January 18, 2026, with an updated introduction, though the delay reportedly caused significant internal unrest and criticism from staff regarding corporate interference [2][3]. While Cooper’s final segment featuring documentary filmmaker Ken Burns aired earlier this month, conflicting reports suggest he may still appear in remaining segments through the end of the current season [2][3][4].

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Media Industry Corporate Restructuring