Veteran anchor Anderson Cooper has recommitted to CNN with a new multiyear contract, putting to rest months of talk about a possible shift to CBS News. The deal, first detailed by Variety on December 8, locks in Cooper’s role as a key player in CNN’s lineup, even as the network faces ongoing shifts in the cable TV world.
Cooper, a fixture at CNN since 2001, will keep anchoring his 8 p.m. ET show, Anderson Cooper 360°, which he’s hosted since 2013. The agreement covers his lead on political reporting through the 2026 midterms, the annual New Year’s Eve special co-hosted with Andy Cohen, and fresh episodes of his Sunday documentary series, The Whole Story, plus his podcast, All There Is. Those close to the talks called it a strong vote of confidence from CNN in one of its most reliable stars, especially as the outlet ramps up its focus on online and streaming content.
The renewal comes at a tough time for CNN, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Primetime viewership dropped 42% in the third quarter of 2025, according to Nielsen, while the network’s core audience skews older, with a median age of 67. Still, Cooper holds his spot as the highest-paid anchor there, pulling in about $20 million a year under his prior setup. While shows like Erin Burnett OutFront and Abby Phillip’s Inside Politics often edge him out in key demographics such as adults 25-54, his steady hand on big stories—from elections to disasters—keeps him central to the brand.
Whispers of a jump elsewhere picked up steam this year after Cooper switched agents from United Talent Agency to Creative Artists Agency, a move that hinted at bigger ambitions. He’d popped up guest-hosting on shows like Live with Kelly and Mark and Jeopardy!, and his ongoing work as a correspondent for CBS’s 60 Minutes kept him on the radar at Paramount Global. By October, word spread that CBS leaders were eyeing him to take over the Evening News anchor desk after John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois step away, with other names like Norah O’Donnell and Tony Dokoupil also in the mix.
That buzz grew louder amid bigger shake-ups at Warner Bros., including plans to spin off CNN and other cable channels into a new public company as part of an $82.7 billion Netflix merger. But a last-minute $108 billion cash bid from Paramount—backed in part by Jared Kushner’s firm—has thrown everything into question, with its board now reviewing the offer. Paramount’s new TV chief, David Ellison, has ties to President Donald Trump and has talked up major overhauls at CNN, which Trump has long labeled “fake news.” Staffers had breathed easier at the Netflix news, fearing ideological tweaks under Ellison, but now that’s uncertain again. One report even suggested Bari Weiss, whom Ellison tapped as CBS News editor-in-chief, had her sights on Cooper for a refreshed nightly broadcast.
Those possibilities aside, Cooper’s choice to stay signals stability for CNN in a rocky industry. High-profile exits—like Chris Wallace, Hoda Kotb, and Joy Reid—have marked recent years, with some, including Rachel Maddow at what was MSNBC (now MS Now), sticking around only after pay cuts. CNN chief Mark Thompson has pushed for cost controls and more digital investment since a 2024 memo, but securing Cooper bucks that trend and hints at the network’s priorities heading into 2026.
Just ahead lies the New Year’s Eve bash from Times Square, with CNN already teasing it via a fun Instagram spot featuring puppet versions of Cooper and Cohen. The clip pokes light fun at their on-air dynamic, with Cohen quipping about using the stand-ins for quick breaks and ribbing Cooper over their shared Emmy hauls. For now, it looks like more of the same from one of TV news’s enduring voices.