Good evening, Reliable Sources family —
I have some news on the home front to share with you: After more than seven years at CNN, I'm leaving the network at the end of the week to start my own media venture.
To say that it has been a hell of a ride at CNN would be an understatement. It has been the privilege of my career to serve as the steward of Reliable Sources, particularly at a time in which truth is under assault and people are thirsty for honest, trustworthy information. After all, the media is at the epicenter of truth. If news institutions and journalists shy away from their duties to uphold it, the fragile fabric that binds our society together unravels. Democracy falls into decay and authoritarians rise to power when a shared reality grounded in facts ceases to exist.
That is why the role of media reporting is not only important, but essential. Reliable Sources is CNN's longest running franchise and, when I was passed the baton, I vowed to do everything in my power to uphold its strong reputation and maintain its editorial independence. At times, the newsletter's unflinching coverage has made people across the industry, including my bosses here at CNN, quite uncomfortable.
But that is to be expected. Those who occupy the corridors of power often prefer to operate with little public scrutiny. That is a constant in every industry, including media. But as journalists our job is to shine a bright light on their activities and pull back the curtain on the consequential decisions that are being made. It is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable when they err. It's to call balls and strikes, without fear or favor.
That has been the guiding light of Reliable Sources since its inception during the Gulf War — and I hope that you feel our team has lived up to the mission over the last two years.
So what's next for me? I am launching my own independent media-focused news company aimed at executing on the mission outlined above. The outlet is called Status and it will aim to be the definitive nightly briefing that informs readers about what is really happening in the media industry.
Each day, I will work to bring you hard-hitting reporting and unflinching analysis on the Fourth Estate, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley. There will be no sugarcoating, no pulling punches, no sparing sensitive egos – just the unvarnished truth about the companies and individuals who shape our world.
I hope that you will join me on that new adventure. Taking this leap and starting an independent media venture is certainly daunting. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said otherwise. But I know that I won't really be in it alone.
Before I sign off, I would like to thank all of those who have touched this newsletter and franchise over the years. In particular, Liam Reilly, who has played a key role helping me produce this newsletter each night; and, of course, Jon Passantino, one of the most talented editors in the business who I have been lucky to work with.
And with that, it is time to say goodbye from this particular post. Thank you for reading tonight and through the years. I’ll always be cheering CNN on.
With gratitude,
Oliver
