NEWSAnderson Cooper's Fate at CNN Revealed After His $18 Million Salary Drew Scrutiny Amid Ratings Turmoil
CNN revealed Anderson Cooper’s fate months after his $18 million salary drew sharp scrutiny during the network’s ongoing ratings plummet.
Dec. 8 2025, Updated 5:43 p.m. ET
Anderson Cooper will live another day at CNN.
The long-time anchor, 58, who began his career with the network in 2001, signed a new deal with the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed news division in recent weeks, a news outlet reported on Monday, December 8.
Anderson Cooper's Fate Revealed
Anderson Cooper signed a deal in recent weeks to continue his role on CNN.
According to insiders, the host will stay with the news organization as it shifts to a new emphasis on generating viewership for a recently launched broadband service.
The decision was shocking to some, considering traditional TV news outlets have said goodbye to longtime hosts like Hoda Kotb and Chris Wallace.
Cooper hosts a variety of different programming at CNN, including the nightly series Anderson Cooper 360, the weekend program The Whole Story and the “All There Is” podcast. In addition, Cooper offers special coverage for elections and hosts the network’s annual New Year’s Eve broadcast with Andy Cohen.
Anderson Cooper's Hefty Salary Was Revealed
Anderson Cooper hosts a variety of programs on different platforms.
Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery split into two publicly traded entities and saw CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels become the President of Global Networks. The Whole Story host’s future at the network was initially unclear, as reports suggested Cooper’s substantial annual salary of $18 million was under fire as the media giant navigated a tumultuous period marked by plummeting ratings and corporate restructuring.
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CNN Saw Restructuring
Anderson Cooper's hefty annual salary was seen as a point of contention by some critics.
CNN’s primetime viewership plunged 42 percent in the third quarter, with ratings among adults ages 24 to 54 sinking an even steeper 58 percent, according to Nielsen data.
In addition, Cooper was compared to newer media personalities like Kaitlan Collins, who draws comparable viewership numbers at a fraction of the cost.
Anderson Cooper's Salary Was Criticized
Fans believed Anderson Cooper would be replaced with a lower cost option.
"Inevitably, Gunnar will look at CNN and decide he can maintain relatively similar profits at a mere fraction of the cost," Dylan Byers, a former CNN reporter and Puck contributor, wrote in an opinion piece. "Why, for instance, would Gunnar pay Anderson Cooper $18 million a year when Kaitlan Collins draws the same ratings at roughly a fifth of the salary?"
Nielsen ratings at the time indicated that Anderson Cooper 360 attracted only 647,000 viewers on a Tuesday evening — a significant contrast to Collins' show, which drew 829,000 in the subsequent hour.
