Brian Stelter is returning to CNN, two years after he was fired by former CEO Chris Licht in a shakeup at the network.
Stelter made the announcement in a “Reliable Sources” newsletter, which he founded in 2015.
“[T]his is not going to be a 'Back to the Future' remake,” he wrote. “The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed a lot since I signed off two years ago. I loved my old life as the anchor of a Sunday morning show but, to borrow some lingo from my video game blogger days, I finished that level of the game. Time for new levels, new challenges.”
His new role will be chief media analyst, where he will do on-air appearances, develop digital content, and lead the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.
“I always scoffed at people who said ‘getting fired was the best thing that's ever happened to me’ — until, well, it happened to me," he continued. "After 20+ years as a news junkie, I changed my habits and tuned out for a bit. I also changed my vantage point, moving from Manhattan to a horse farm near one of Donald Trump's golf clubs. I experienced the news more like an everyday consumer, and in doing so, I learned a whole lot about the attention economy and the information ecosystem. I’m looking forward to sharing what I learned with you.”
In his two years away from the network, Stelter said he was "incredibly lucky to have time as a stay-at-home dad." When his kids were at school, he dabbled in a number of other jobs:
"Harvard fellow, BBC talking head, magazine writer," he listed. "I authored a book, and more importantly had time to read lots of others' books. I wrote for more than 20 publications, from The Atlantic to WIRED, and learned about the ups and downs of freelance life. And I hosted a podcast for Vanity Fair, 'Inside the Hive,' which I will continue to lead through the end of the year."
Stelter said the relaunch of “Reliable Sources” will happen Monday, Sept. 9.