Christiane Amanpour to depart CNN after 43 years

Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour said she will leave CNN after more than four decades, ending her nightly program in May and departing the network at the end of June; her public broadcaster show will conclude later this year. Her exit is not believed to be related to the network’s recent acquisition by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Christiane Amanpour, one of CNN’s longest-serving and most prominent journalists, announced on Monday that she will leave the network after 43 years. Her weekday program Amanpour will end in May and she will depart the network at the end of June, she said in a statement.

Career at CNN

Amanpour joined the then-fledgling network in 1983 as an assistant on the international assignment desk and rose through the ranks to become CNN’s chief international anchor. Over four decades at the channel she came to be regarded as one of its leading figures in international reporting and commentary.

Timing and other commitments

In addition to her CNN program, Amanpour hosts a separate show for public broadcaster PBS, Amanpour and Company, which she said will conclude at the end of this year. Her CNN program will cease in May, with her formal departure from the network set for the end of June.

Context

Reports and statements accompanying the announcement indicate Amanpour’s decision is not thought to be linked to the company’s recent acquisition by David Ellison’s Skydance Media. The departure marks a significant change for CNN as one of its most high-profile international anchors steps away after a multi-decade tenure.