Anderson Cooper Leaves '60 Minutes'; CBS News Faces Editorial Shifts Under New Leadership
February 16, 2026
Breaking: Anderson Cooper is exiting CBS’s 60 Minutes after two decades, choosing to spend more time with his family while continuing his work at CNN.
Weiss, the former New York Times columnist now leading CBS News under Paramount Skydance, has overseen significant changes, including editorial shifts and staffing moves that have stirred controversy.
Cooper’s final pieces will air through the current season, offering viewers a last look at his long-form reporting as CBS News reassesses its direction and on-air talent amid leadership upheaval.
Contextual note: the piece draws on multiple media outlets and uses industry-specific language to discuss editorial influence, ratings, and consolidation in the media landscape.
Coverage highlights omissions by Sunday shows on Potomac sewage spill and Munich Security Conference commentary, framing these gaps as part of broader media narrative dynamics.
An internal flashpoint saw an editor-in-chief delay a detention facility report in El Salvador for missing U.S. administration comments, underscoring tensions over editorial control.
Tensions trace back to last winter when investigative work on a Salvadoran prison housing Venezuelan migrants was blocked due to concerns about Trump-era commentary, fueling newsroom unease.
The piece underscores the rising importance of video verification in journalism, with bystander video and AI-related challenges shaping the next era of visual reporting.
Reactions to an anti-Muslim tweet by Rep. Randy Fine and a tribute to Robert Duvall illustrate ongoing conversations at the intersection of media, politics, and culture.
Analyses discuss Trump’s faltering approval and how polling at national versus district levels may forecast midterm dynamics, highlighting Republican challenges.
The Alfonsi episode aired in January without on-camera Trump interviews, fueling debates that CBS was soft on the Trump administration under Weiss’s leadership.
The Bannon storyline intersects a memecoin lawsuit and Epstein coverage, with conservative outlets’ responses connected to broader credibility debates over Epstein reporting.
Summary based on 34 sources
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Sources

The Guardian • Feb 17, 2026
Anderson Cooper to leave 60 Minutes amid turmoil at CBS News
The Washington Post • Feb 17, 2026
Anderson Cooper says he's exiting from '60 Minutes,' but staying with CNN
Business Insider • Feb 17, 2026
Anderson Cooper is leaving CBS's '60 Minutes' after nearly 2 decades
Business Insider • Feb 17, 2026
What leading voices in media are saying about Anderson Cooper's '60 Minutes' exit