As CNN has been restructuring its anchor lineup to point-point and reassign its political coverage, longtime weekday afternoon anchor Brooke Baldwin announced her decision to spread her wings outside of the network, telling viewers: “The next chapter of my life will be focused on what I love the most about my work: amplifying the lives of extraordinary Americans. There is just more I need to do… outside the walls of this place, a place I have been privileged to call home for 13 years. Yep, we’re still in a pandemic. No, I don’t have a job I’m jumping right into. Yes, I’m feeling very vulnerable.”
According to Variety, CNN declined to elaborate further on the decision. Announcements of anchors covering politics being reassigned or enhanced in their air-time have been announced since the new administration took place. Some of these anchors include Washington-based Brianna Keilar, who has been known to push back on officials in her interviews, and Alisyn Camerota, the “New Day” co-anchor in the morning, who “has steered the program though the bulk of the Trump administration,” according to Variety. Variety also reports that there has been consideration by CNN executives to move Alisyn to the afternoon.
Deadline reported that Brooke had a longtime goal of anchoring at CNN, and achieved it, as she explained to viewers during her announcement: “After most of my 20s working my way up in local news, I came to this network in 2008 – in the midst of the Great Recession as a freelancer. I remember I scribbled my name on a Post-It note and stuck it outside of this temporary office, determined to fulfilling my dream of becoming a full-time CNN correspondent.”
Brooke created the digital series on CNN called American Woman, which focuses on the stories of trailblazing women who have broken barriers in their respective fields and are now helping other women do the same. Brooke explains the genesis of the series here, where she quotes her southern mother: “Growing up, I wasn't encouraged to speak up or speak out," Brooke’s mother recalled. Brooke continued: “As I threw my arm around her, it brought me an important revelation, a clear view of the critical change wrought in a single generation of women: my mother and millions like her felt they couldn't use their voices, but they taught their daughters they MUST.”
Brooke has been working on a book, Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power published HarperCollins which will publish in April. Expect more from Brooke, and follow her to see how your self and/or your business could be part of her storytelling.
“You know, there is just more I need to do,” she said, “more I need to do outside of this place, outside the walls of this place, a place I’ve been privileged to call home now for 13 years.”
Read more of Brooke’s quotes from her announcement here at Deadline.
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