Dan Abrams Ends Newsnation Primetime Cable News Show
NewsNation will need to find a new host for its critical 9 p.m. hour, with Dan Abrams set to step aside from his primetime program early next year.
Abrams announced his decision Thursday at the end of his program Dan Abrams Live, adding that he will step aside from his show in February.
Abrams is one of the media business’ biggest multitaskers, serving as ABC News chief legal analyst, a satellite radio host, host and producer for the Reelz Channel show On Patrol Live and as the owner of a digital media empire that includes Mediaite, Law & Crime Network and other brands, all in addition to his nightly NewsNation program.
“As you may know, I also host a weekend show called On Patrol Live that follows police in real time, I host a daily radio show on SiriusXM and appear on ABC News as its chief legal analyst,” Abrams said Thursday. “But in my on-air roles, I devote far more of my time to this show than anything else, and as hard as it is for me to admit, it’s not just not practical to do this show all week while also running, and expanding, my businesses.”
“Three years after this really unexpected opportunity, I’ve reached the point where it’s impossible to keep devoting the time needed for this show while also running and growing my other businesses,” he added.
Abrams added that he will remain with NewsNation — albeit not as an anchor — with more details to come in February. NewsNation is expected to name his successor early next year as well.
Abrams, it should be noted, signed a new multi-year deal with NewsNation just one year ago, and was one of the hosts who helped forge NewsNation’s new identity under the ownership of the local TV station giant Nexstar. Three years ago, when Abrams first came on board, Nexstar rebranded it from WGN America, and earlier this year it officially went to a 24-hour cable news format.
“NewsNation president Sean Compton and I quickly realized we had a shared vision about where there was a hole in the cable marketplace – compelling, smart, but politically agnostic news coverage,” Abrams said. “We shared the view that every other news channel was effectively cheerleading for one side or another. And as we talked more, the idea of my hosting a nightly show came to life.”
Earlier this week NewsNation inked Abrams’ lead-in, Chris Cuomo, to a new multi-year deal.
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