Media

Shepard Smith to Exit CNBC as It Cancels His Primetime Show

WHERE TO NEXT?

The former Fox News anchor landed at CNBC after quitting the conservative outlet amid feuds with his right-wing opinion colleagues.

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NBC

Shepard Smith’s time at CNBC is over.

The former Fox News host’s show will end later this month as the network moves to more “business news and personal finance” focus, according to a memo obtained by Variety. The anchor will leave the network after a two-year stint, having joined in 2020—a year after he left Fox amid clashes with his primetime colleagues.

“We need to further invest in business news content that provides our audiences actionable understanding of the complex developments in global markets and the implications on institutions, investors and individuals,” CNBC chief KC Sullivan wrote to staffers. “During times of flux and uncertainty, our place in the lives of those we touch on-air, online and in person becomes even clearer, and more essential.”

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“The quality journalism Shep and his team delivered each weeknight was exemplary and not lost on us or our 7pm audience,” Sullivan added. “At a time when misinformation and disinformation is rampant, ‘The News’ succeeded in providing audiences with the clearest understanding of the facts.”

Smith was known for being a more moderate, news-focused voice at the opinion-centric conservative network, often engaging in subtle feuds with Fox’s overtly right-wing primetime stars as he frequently fact-checked or repudiated their on-air claims.

It is unclear where Smith will land following his departure.