The rumors are true: Soledad O’Brien is out at CNN. Sort of.
The well-known news anchor announced Thursday that she will be leaving the network’s morning show in the spring, but will continue work on documentaries on a nonexclusive basis, according to The New York Times.
“The new partnership opportunity allows me to focus on what I love to do the most, and to focus on the next stage of my career, owning my own work,” explained O’Brien, who is prepping two new installments of the Black in America series for CNN.
She continued, “At CNN, I am grateful to have been able to tell often underreported stories and confront difficult topics. In the new production venture, I will continue to shine a light on what we all find most interesting about America.”
She will also be producing documentaries for other television channels and the web.
With O’Brien out, insiders suspect CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker will keep new-hire Chris Cuomo at the morning spot, alongside current anchor Erin Burnett.
“We greatly value Soledad’s experience, and her first-rate storytelling will continue to be an asset to CNN,” Zucker said in a statement. “Documentaries and long-form story telling are important to our brand and we’re anticipating more of what we’ve come to expect from her– riveting content.”
The Emmy Award-winning anchor got her start with the network in 2003 after leaving NBC’s Weekend Today. Since, O’Brien has received an outpouring of praise for her coverage on the crisis in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina, the Southeast Asia tsunami and breaking news from all around the world. She is especially celebrated for her work on the Black in America and Latino in America franchises.
O’Brien is expected to host at least one documentary this year and three next year with the help of her new production company, Starfish Media Group.
