Amara Walker, co-anchor of “CNN This Morning Weekend,” stunned the television news industry with her abrupt resignation announcement on Thursday, February 6, 2025, coming just weeks after winning an Emmy Award for breaking news coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
“I’ve decided to seize on this moment of change in our industry and take a hiatus from TV news,” Walker said. “I have other professional goals that I haven’t been able to pursue given my full-time commitment to a breaking news TV schedule. I’m excited about all that is to come and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
The unexpected departure follows Walker’s extensive 10-year tenure at CNN, where she co-anchored “CNN This Morning Weekend” with Victor Blackwell and hosted “CNN Newsroom” on CNN Max on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 a.m. Her career began at CNN International in 2013, earning early recognition for her coverage of the Manchester Arena bombing during an Ariana Grande concert in 2017, securing an Emmy nomination for her reporting.
Throughout her decade at CNN, Walker covered numerous significant international events, including extensive reporting on the Venezuelan crisis, documenting the intense Hong Kong protests, providing live coverage of the Notre Dame fire in Paris, and reporting from the ground during the Ottawa shootings. Her domestic coverage included in-depth reporting on the Atlanta spa massacre, comprehensive coverage of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and detailed reporting on Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud in Georgia.
“In my 10 years with CNN, I’ve had the privilege of working on nearly all of its platforms, as an anchor for CNN, CNN International, and CNN Max, and also as a correspondent. Winning an Emmy Award recently was the icing on the cake. I felt this is the right time to take this step,” Walker said.
Walker’s sudden exit comes amid significant changes at CNN under CEO Mark Thompson, who joined in 2023 and recently announced an immediate reduction of 200 employees on the TV side. This follows approximately 100 cuts made during the summer as the network pivots toward digital media consumption products. The network has seen a series of high-profile departures, including veteran journalist Jim Acosta’s exit after 18 years when his morning “CNN Newsroom” time slot was reassigned to Wolf Blitzer’s “The Situation Room.” Additionally, Chris Wallace departed following a reduced salary offer from his reported $7 million annual compensation, and Julia Chatterley, who anchored “First Move” on CNN International, announced her departure after more than six years with the network.
Jeff McCall, a communications professor at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, told the Los Angeles Times that the network’s recent upheaval has significantly impacted its image. “Right now, you think of their brand as in decline. The layoffs; that’s a problem. And it looks really bad when you lose libel suits,” McCall said.
A CNN spokesperson acknowledged Amara Walker’s accomplished career and unexpected departure, emphasizing her more than a decade of contributions to the network. During her tenure, she played a key role in delivering coverage of major breaking news events, both from the anchor desk and as a field reporter covering significant developments across the United States. The network highlighted her dedication, professionalism, and journalistic expertise, describing her as a valued and deeply respected colleague whose presence and work had a meaningful impact at CNN.
No immediate successor has been announced for Walker’s positions on “CNN This Morning Weekend” or “CNN Newsroom,” though Victor Blackwell will remain with the network. The shake-up continues as Thompson implements his strategy to shift CNN’s focus toward digital platforms, marking a significant transformation in the network’s approach to news delivery.
