Kara Swisher is done with CNN, and she made that very clear on“The Pivot”this week. She told listeners she asked her agent to get her out of her contract as soon as possible, which runs through December 31, after news that Paramount Skydance is expected to absorb the network. Her reason: a lack of confidence in the incoming owners, plus one quote that will follow this story everywhere:“F—k these guys. I don’t want to work for them.”
According to Page Six, there might be more going on beneath the surface. Insiders claim Swisher’s ex, journalist Nellie Bowles, could be a factor in the rushed exit. The two dated for several years after Bowles worked on Swisher’s“Recode”podcast in the mid-2010s. Bowles is now married to Bari Weiss, the CBS News boss and Free Press co-founder who’s rumored to be eyeing editorial control at CNN under David Ellison’s ownership. Swisher fired back at the report, calling the romance angle a distraction and repeating that she’d been planning to leave if the deal went through.
So what happens now? If Swisher stays through her December contract, things could get very awkward very fast. And if she leaves early, this becomes one of the messiest media exits of the year. Either way, everybody’s watching.
Do you think personal history should ever play a role in high-profile media hires? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.