CNN This Morning Weekend co-anchor Amara Walker is leaving the network after more than a decade. She announced her departure on Thursday, citing changes in the TV news industry as her reason.
‘I’ve decided to seize on this moment of change in our industry and take a hiatus from TV news,’ Walker told Deadline.
‘I’m a journalist at heart, but I have other professional passions as well. The timing couldn’t be better to embark on the next chapter.’
‘I have other professional goals that I haven’t been able to pursue given my full-time commitment to a breaking news TV schedule,’ she said. ‘I’m excited about all that is to come and the opportunities that lie ahead.’
Walker co-anchored CNN This Morning Weekend with Victor Blackwell and also hosted CNN Newsroom on CNN Max on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 a.m.
‘In my 10 years with CNN, I’ve had the privilege of working on nearly all of its platforms, as an anchor for CNN, CNN International, and CNN Max, and also as a correspondent. Winning an Emmy Award recently was the icing on the cake. I felt this is the right time to take this step.’
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Walker and her CNN colleagues won an award for outstanding breaking news coverage for their reporting on the Israel-Hamas war.
Before joining CNN, Walker worked at WFLD in Chicago and WTVJ in Miami. Known for her sharp reporting and strong on-air presence, she built a respected career in broadcast journalism.
Amara Walker is the latest high-profile journalist to leave CNN amid a wave of departures and network changes.
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Jim Acosta, a well-known CNN journalist recognized for his outspoken coverage of former President Donald Trump, recently announced his departure in a surprising on-air statement. Additionally, veteran anchor Chris Wallace revealed he is also leaving CNN after four years, marking another major exit from the network.
CNN CEO Mark Thompson, who joined the network in 2023, announced a reduction of 200 staff positions on the TV side. He also revealed plans to shift the network’s focus toward new digital media products, according to The Daily Mail.
