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ABC News chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega is ditching the network to join rival CBS News as a correspondent for 60 Minutes. Vega, who has served as a White House reporter for many years, will be joining the Sunday-night newsmagazine show.
“Cecilia Vega is a sensational reporter and storyteller. I have admired her work for a long, long time and couldn’t be more excited to welcome her to 60 MINUTES. Her new colleagues couldn’t agree more,” Bill Owens, executive producer of 60, said in a statement.
“Vega joins the distinguished team of correspondents at 60 Minutes from ABC News, where she has most recently distinguished herself as ABC’s chief White House correspondent and one of the nation’s leading political reporters. She also anchored several broadcasts, including “Good Morning America” and the Saturday edition of “World News Tonight,” and has reported on every major story of the last decade, including the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and the papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. She has conducted hundreds of high-profile interviews with political newsmakers, world leaders, and celebrities and traveled the globe to report stories of national and international significance,” CBS News reported.
“Vega’s experience spans coverage of both sides of the aisle and all branches of government. Her coverage of the Trump administration included frequent news-making exchanges with the president and administration officials, especially during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. At the Trump White House, Vega also covered three Supreme Court nominations, the firing of FBI director James Comey, the Mueller report, and both of President Trump’s impeachment trials. Her on-the-ground reporting in 2021 from the U.S.-Mexico border offered a poignant look at the dangerous journeys migrants make in reaching the United States. This reporting and first-person interviews with migrants seeking asylum allowed Vega to press President Biden during his first press conference about whether his administration’s seemingly muddled messaging on immigration was triggering the uptick in border crossings,” the outlet added.
Emmy Award-winning journalist Cecilia Vega is joining CBS News as a correspondent for @60Minutes. https://t.co/2VPNMrHOV0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 19, 2023
ABC isn’t the only mainstream media outlet losing top talent as things seem to be getting worse for CNN.
The new ownership at CNN unleashed a bloodbath on staff as it dropped the ax and some prominent talent and promised that there is more to come. It came a day after CNN chief Chris Licht informed employees at the network that layoffs were coming, and this round was headed by politics reporter and editor-at-large Chris Cillizza, the Daily Beast reported.
CNN also parted ways with correspondents Alison Kosik, Alexandra Field, and Martin Savidge, as well as Mary Anne Fox, the VP of northeast news. Furthermore, CNN will end all live programming on sister network HLN, resulting in the cancellation of the long-running morning program Morning Express. The show’s anchor, Robin Meade, who has been with the network since 2001, and other HLN hosts will lose their jobs.
Additionally, the network has also parted ways with several paid on-air contributors, reportedly including New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser and Politico reporter Jonathan Martin.
“Beginning December 6, CNN will no longer produce live programming for HLN and instead will simulcast CNN This Morning. HLN Crime programming will move under the WBD Networks led by Kathleen Finch and will be merged with ID,” the CEO said. “I want to take a moment to thank Robin Meade— she is not only an exceptionally popular anchor, but also one of the longest-running morning hosts in history. I know the HLN audience will miss her and the other HLN talent.”
He also said that CNN would be “shifting our approach to paid contributors,” and that “programming teams will see some reductions in show staffs and, in some cases, the combination of teams for our dayside and weekend lineups.”
“To our departing colleagues, I want to express my gratitude for your dedicated and tireless service and for your many contributions to CNN,” he said. “To all employees, I want to underscore the importance of taking the time you need to best be able to move forward.”
CNN BLOODBATH: Network fires Chris Cillizza and correspondents Alison Kosik, Alex Field, host Martin Savidge and Robin Meade in ruthless round of layoffshttps://t.co/AmonXfe26t
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 2, 2022
In the memo to staff, the CEO said more layoffs would be coming.
An October report from former Mediaite managing editor Jim Nicosia said that the network has decided he no longer fits with the new direction of the company.
“SCOOP: Another “big name” about to exit @CNN. (Stay tuned),” he said at the start of the week.
“Discovery Executive: ‘He does not have a place in the new CNN. He reminds us of the Zucker period we are looking to move far from. The only reason he is still on air was not to look like we were ‘cleaning house’ for political reasons right after the closing,’” he said. “I agreed not to report the name until the end of the week.”
