Anderson Cooper Leaving ‘60 Minutes’ Amid CBS News Shake‑Up...

Anderson Cooper will leave CBS News’ “60 Minutes” after nearly two decades, a source familiar with the matter said Monday, marking the latest staffing change at the long‑running news magazine amid broader newsroom upheaval. In a statement to news outlets, Cooper said he wanted to spend more time with his family. “Being a correspondent at 60 Minutes has been one of the great honors of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business,” he said. “For nearly twenty years, I've been able to balance my jobs at CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now and I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time with me.” Cooper is the father of two sons, Wyatt Morgan Cooper and Sebastian Luke Maisani‑Cooper, whom he is raising with his former partner, Benjamin Maisani. Cooper’s departure comes amid significant changes at CBS News, where the network has undergone leadership turnover, staffing reductions and editorial restructuring in recent months. The overhaul follows Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media and the appointment of Bari Weiss as CBS News editor in chief, with the company weighing layoffs, buyouts and new programming strategies as it seeks to reshape its news division for streaming and digital audiences. The long‑running “60 Minutes” program has been at the center of the upheaval, with internal tensions, high‑profile editorial disputes and staff departures highlighting the challenges facing the storied broadcast news operation. Cooper has been a correspondent on “60 Minutes” since the 2006‑07 season under an agreement between CBS News and CNN, according to his biography on the CBS News website. His recent reporting for the program included stories on people experiencing lingering effects from COVID‑19 and the discovery of a shipwreck near Mobile, Alabama, believed to be the last vessel to have carried enslaved people to the United States. Cooper joined CNN in 2001 and has covered major events including the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He remains a full‑time anchor at the cable news network. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.