**Excerpt:** Anderson Cooper announces his departure from “60 Minutes” at the end of the current season, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
**Key Points:**
– Anderson Cooper will leave “60 Minutes” at the end of the current season.
– He plans to report on several stories before his departure in May.
– Cooper has been a correspondent for nearly 20 years.
– CBS News expressed gratitude for his extensive contributions to the program.
– His exit follows a challenging period for “60 Minutes,” including a recent executive producer change.
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Departure Announcement
Anderson Cooper has announced that he will leave CBS News’ “60 Minutes” at the conclusion of the current season, ending a notable 20-year tenure with the newsmagazine. Before he departs in May, Cooper will continue to report on several stories that are currently in production.
In a statement, Cooper, who also serves as a primetime anchor on CNN, explained that his decision is motivated by a desire to spend more time with his children. “Being a correspondent at ’60 Minutes’ has been one of the highlights of my career,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of family time as his children are young and wish to spend time together.
CBS News’s Acknowledgment
CBS News expressed appreciation for Cooper’s significant contributions over the years. “For more than two decades, Anderson Cooper has taken ’60 Minutes’ viewers on journeys to faraway places and told us unforgettable stories,” the network said. They also acknowledged the importance of family and offered an open door for Cooper’s potential return.
Background and Context
Cooper began his role as a correspondent for “60 Minutes” in the 2006-2007 television season, after previously contributing to “60 Minutes II,” a spinoff of the main program. His departure comes during a tumultuous time for “60 Minutes,” which premiered in 1968. The show recently saw the exit of its third executive producer, Bill Owens, and was involved in legal issues related to an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Overall, Cooper’s departure marks a significant transition for “60 Minutes,” which continues to focus on delivering impactful journalism.
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