Anderson Cooper hires Hollywood ‘tremendous agent’ — a – Business News
Anderson Cooper has employed a reputed Hollywood “super agent” — a signal that the CNN anchor, mentioned to be pulling down an annual wage of $18 million, might exit the struggling cable community amid looming value cuts.
Cooper, the 58-year-old son of the late fashion designer and railroad heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, is ditching his longtime agent United Talent Agency in favor of Creative Artists Agency and its prime deal broker Bryan Lourd.
News of Cooper’s transfer was reported on Tuesday morning by the information websites Semafor and Variety. A CNN spokesperson declined to remark.
Anderson Cooper has employed a new agent — sparking buzz that the CNN anchor could also be mulling a new chapter in his profession. CNN
The Post left a message on Lourd’s voicemail looking for affirmation of the Variety and Semafor experiences.
The determination to modify brokers and rent Lourd is critical on condition that the CAA rep’s shopper roster leans more towards Hollywood’s elite than conventional broadcast journalists, in response to Variety.
Lourd has provided his companies to A-list stars reminiscent of Scarlett Johansson, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron and Daniel Craig.
Cooper’s shift in companies has raised questions on whether or not the anchor could also be getting ready to develop his portfolio — or presumably exit the community altogether — as the normal TV information model faces mounting financial pressures.
The former struggle correspondent has diversified his media presence through the years. In addition to anchoring “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN, he contributes to CBS’s “60 Minutes” and beforehand guest-hosted “Jeopardy!”
He was additionally as soon as thought of for a everlasting position alongside Kelly Ripa on Disney’s syndicated morning show “Live.” These aspect gigs have given Cooper room to stretch past exhausting information, and his newest agent change suggests there could also be more evolution forward.
Bryan Lourd is the highest agent at Creative Artists Agency. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Industry observers advised Variety that Cooper’s timing comes as networks throughout the board are reducing prices and rethinking their expertise methods.
Cooper’s bosses at media conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery, which oversees CNN, is restructuring to separate its TV networks from its streaming and manufacturing companies, a transfer analysts say may place the cable channels for a future sale.
Earlier this month, WBD CEO David Zaslav introduced the cut up. He has assigned his “slash and burn” chief financial officer, Gunnar Wiedenfels, the duty of in search of methods to slash prices when he takes over CNN and different cable property beneath the umbrella of a new company known as Global Networks.
Hollywood starlet Charlize Theron is amongst Lourd’s A-list shoppers. Getty Images for LVMH x Vogue x NBC
Last week, Puck News reported that Cooper’s hefty wage — which is alleged to be more than 5 occasions that of fellow prime time host Kaitlan Collins even if each generate comparable viewership numbers — might be in Wiedenfels’ crosshairs.
CNN has refused to verify Cooper’s wage. The community has additionally disputed the figures which were reported within the press. The Post has sought remark from Cooper.
Many veteran anchors have been let go or requested to take pay cuts. Chris Wallace exited CNN whereas Cooper’s former colleagues Don Lemon, Jim Acosta and Alisyn Camerota have all departed key roles.
Lourd’s roster of shoppers additionally consists of Scarlett Johansson. AP
Cooper’s own longstanding deal with CNN reportedly dates back to 2016, when he signed a multiyear extension believed to final at the least 5 years. That contract was broadly interpreted as CNN’s approach of locking him down and retaining him from becoming a member of ABC’s morning show.
In current years, Cooper has grown his profile by way of a podcast on grief and his recurring New Year’s Eve broadcasts with Andy Cohen, which have turn out to be a hallmark of CNN’s vacation programming.
Meanwhile, the dad or mum corporations behind these information operations are present process important transformations. Paramount Global, which owns CBS News, is within the course of of merging with Skydance Media, a deal that features $1.5 billion in deliberate value reductions — on prime of $500 million already slashed.
At Comcast, NBCUniversal is spinning off many of its cable property, placing MSNBC and CNBC on a completely different observe from NBC News.
