Big Update on Anderson Cooper’s Future at CNN

One of CNN’s most famous talking heads is sticking with the network that made him famous.

Legendary journalist Anderson Cooper just signed a new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to remain at CNN and continue hosting Anderson Cooper 360°, according to a report from Variety.

While it might seem like an obvious move to re-sign one of the biggest names in TV news, that hasn’t been the case for several recent TV veterans.

Viewership of TV news has been rapidly shrinking in the past few years thanks to the rise of digital media sites and video apps like TikTok. Major names like Hoda Kotb, Chris Wallace, and Neil Cavuto quit or were ousted from their positions by networks now that fewer Americans are tuned in to cable news and companies now can’t afford to keep news anchors at such a high price.

CNN’s viewership has taken a drastic freefall recently, with a loss of 42% of its viewership in just the third quarter of this year alone, according to Nielsen data. Among the 25-to-54-year-old demographic, the damage was even worse, with 58% loss of viewership.

Still, with the 2026 midterm election on the horizon, it makes sense for CNN to keep Cooper around as he is known for his major work influencing every election season. He’s also a major asset for CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage, as he hosts the event with Bravo star Andy Cohen, clips of which always dominate social media every year.

Cooper isn’t CNN’s most-watched journalist anymore, however—he lags behind his coworkers Erin Burnett, whose show runs just before Cooper’s, and Abby Phillip, who hosts the popular roundtable TV news show News Night.