Shepard Smith will leave CNBC after the network opted to cancel his show “The News with Shepard Smith.”
CNBC president KC Sullivan wrote in a memo to CNBC staffers that Smith’s final episode will come later this month. The objective for the network will be to have a new business program in that time slot at the start of 2023.
“Decisions like these are not arrived at hastily or taken lightly,” Sullivan wrote. “I believe this decision will ultimately help to strengthen our brand and the value we provide our audiences.”
Additionally, Deadline reported on Thursday that Smith would not take on a different role at another NBCU network, such as transitioning over to NBC News or MSNBC, so it appears as though he’s leaving the company entirely.
“As a result of this strategic alignment to our core business, we will need to shift some of our priorities and resources and make some difficult decisions,” Sullivan added.
“At a time when misinformation and disinformation is rampant, The News succeeded in providing audiences with the clearest understanding of the facts.”
Smith was a high-profile hire for CNBC in 2020 after his abrupt exit from Fox News the previous year, leading to other networks courting him.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
Shepard Smith is the best TV newsman in the business. He was to Television whst Paul Harvey was to radio. Shepard’s neescast were both entertaining as eell as in formative. The management will be sorry for this decision. It appears Spectrum is building its newscast and i hope Shepard lands with them. Goodbye CNBC MSNBC & NBC, helo PBS.