Shepard Smith News Program Canceled by CNBC After Two Years
CNBC president KC Sullivan has announced that the network has dropped The News With Shepard Smith and that its final episode will air later this month. This comes after a two-year run at CNBC for the former high-profile Fox News anchor. “Decisions like these are not arrived at hastily or taken lightly,” Sullivan wrote in a staff memo Thursday morning. “I believe this decision will ultimately help to strengthen our brand and the value we provide our audiences.”
Shepard Smith joined CNBC to bolster primetime TV ratings, which he did, according to Sullivan. “The quality journalism Shep and his team delivered each weeknight was exemplary and not lost on us or our 7 pm audience,” he stated. “The News increased CNBC’s 7 pm viewership average and attracted the most affluent audience of any primetime cable news program. At a time when misinformation and disinformation is rampant, The News succeeded in providing audiences with the clearest understanding of the facts.”
However, it appears the cut comes from the network attempting to expand business coverage, with a new business program slated to fill The News slot at the beginning of 2023. The decision to move on from Smith is the first major decision made by the network president since taking over CNBC from Mark Hoffman in September. Hoffman had been CNBC’s president since 2005.
“Change is difficult, particularly when talented, good people are impacted. Over the coming weeks, we will work across the News Group to identify other potential opportunities for many of the affected employees,” Sullivan concluded before thanking affected employees of the show for their professionalism.
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R
If he had high ratings why would you cancel him, it makes no sense 🤔. I did not agree with everything he said but I still like to hear both sides.
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P
Why? Is it because he's too ethical to cater to CNBC's radical left agenda? He presents both sides, good or bad and that doesn't fit their narrative?
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G
Radical left agenda??? Practically every guest on the CNBC morning show is a republican.
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P
I always liked him as an anchor, but it is hard to look at his plastic surgery riddled face.
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C
I enjoyed the content of the show greatly, but the mission statement of the show was to give "just the facts", all Smith ever did was give his own opinions, and interrupt people with them. I remember on January 6th when President Trump was trying to downplay what was going on at the Capitol, and Smith cut off the president right in the middle of The coverage, and said"I can't listen to any more of this",
Well that's good for you Smith, but I thought it was all about the news?
The guy was a hypocrite, I'm glad he's gone, CNBC will be better without him.
Way to go Sullivan!! Making Comcast proud!
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