Audie Cornish, who just last week announced her departure from NPR’s All Things ConsideredCNN+ anchor and correspondent,
Cornish will host a weekly show for the network’s subscription streaming service, set to debut in the spring, and will contribute to its live programming. A new podcast will be hosted by Cornish, and she will also appear on CNN as a reporter covering breaking news.
“There are fresh stories to be told and new ways to tell them,”Cornish made the statement in a statement.
CNN+ will debut in the spring. It will feature programs from Anderson Cooper, Chris Wallace, and Kasie Hunter, among other things. Cornish will be based out of Washington, and will begin in February.
Cornish has been a NPR journalist since 2005. She started on the national desk in 2005 and joined the politics team as a political reporter in 2008. Cornish was appointed host of Weekend Edition SundayIn 2011, he was made co-host of All Things ConsideredIn 2012. She won a George Foster Peabody Award for her work with David Isay’s StoryCorps 9/11 Project, among other honors. She has also interviewed Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama, among others.
Cornish made it clear last week that she was leaving the organization at the week’s end. All Things ConsideredAri Shapiro, co-host, expressed concern over the loss of so many voices on NPR. “If NPR doesn’t see this as a crisis, I don’t know what it’ll take,”He wrote. Lourdes Garcia Navarro, Noel King, and Michele Norris are just a few of the others who have also departed.
Cornish tweeted his relief afterward “It seems my assumption that I would have a quiet transition was naïve. So I will attempt to provide whatever insight I can… using language the internet understands lol.”
She added, “Every single word of my announcement is true. I am leaving on my own initiative and without any resentment or malice. It has been a wonderful experience working with people I admire and respect. And I am open to trying new things. I also understand that 4 hosts leaving in a year – three of them POC women– is a red flag as my co host @arishapiro This was also highlighted earlier in the week. I am grateful that he took it upon himself to raise the issue.
“I can’t speak for all POC – but I want to be clear. I do not have to. Our experiences at the company vary and there are some common threads. A number of people have been waving their hands in the air trying to draw attention to them. check the threads. they are not hiding! Moreover some of these issues permeate the public media system – yes stations AND yes your favorite podcast companies that have sprung from that system. While the media reporting on this has been to treat each as a problem in isolation that is not the case. My path through public media and frankly journalism has of course not been all roses. There have been many many times when I was the only person of color ‘on the campaign bus’ ‘at the press conference’ ‘at the table’ ‘on the Sunday show’ and all that entails.”
“Ove[r] the years that has changed and for the better! There are many amazing talented black and brown people in front of the camera/mic, in high profile gigs, are executives and more. The flipside is that plenty of voices are speaking out about the work that still needs to be done. Call them! Yes this is for you media reporters. It’s also for public media managers, podcast companies and news media companies dipping into audio. Trust, you have the same issues brewing (pay equity, cultural exclusion, problems of recruitment and retention). You are not immune and you are not doing all that much better. The people who are speaking out are not “trouble makers”. They care deeply about their companies. They want to stay. They want to make life better.
“In the meantime I gotta take care of these little kids for a bit. Throw some snow balls. Prepare to announce what I have in store next. It’s a good thing. promise.”
In the meantime, I have to take care of these children for a while. Get some snowballs. You can expect me to reveal what I have in store for you next. It’s a good thing. promise. pic.twitter.com/XliZx2BL2v
— audie cornish (@AudieCornish) January 6, 2022