ABC News senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper is leaving the network to host a weekday program on rival CNN.
His new show will air at 4 p.m. Eastern in the time slot currently filled by “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,”
TVNewser reports.
Tapper joined ABC News in 2003 and served as the lead political reporter for coverage of the 2008 presidential election. He was named senior White House correspondent immediately after the election.
In this role, he contributed regularly to “Good Morning America,” “Nightline,” and “World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer,” served as substitute host of “This Week,” and published his “Political Punch” blog on ABCNews.com.
While on the White House beat, Tapper earned the coveted Merriman Smith Award for presidential coverage from the White House Correspondents’ Association an unprecedented three times in a row.
His most recent book, “The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor,” has been on the New York Times list of best-sellers.
ABC News President Ben Sherwood said in a memo to staffers on Friday: “For years, Jake has set the pace for the White House press corps. A ferocious reporter – and now a best-selling author – he has built a reputation as one of the most prolific and multi-talented journalists on the beat, scoring scoop after scoop.”
Tapper’s new boss Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/U.S., said: “We are thrilled to have Jake join CNN and take the helm of a brand new weekday program. Jake is an exceptional reporter and communicator, and we look forward to developing a program that takes advantage of all of his strengths, his passion and his knowledge of national issues and events.”
Tapper said in a statement reported by TVNewser: “With CNN’s impeccable reporting during the elections and the exciting changes in the works for the network, this is a perfect time to join the CNN team. I am excited about the prospect of working with both the new leadership and some old friends and colleagues.”
ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl will replace Tapper as the network’s chief White House correspondent.
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