Anderson Cooper’s $18 Million Paycheck—And Why It’s Stirring Up Drama at CNN
Let’s be real—when you hear $18 million a year, you’re probably thinking Hollywood A-listers or Wall Street big shots. But nope. That’s what Anderson Cooper, CNN’s silver-haired news guy, is pulling in. And guess what? While he’s cashing those checks, a bunch of folks at the network are sweating over layoffs. Awkward timing, right?
Who even is Anderson Cooper?
Okay, so if you’ve watched CNN anytime in the last two decades, you know the guy. Calm voice, sharp suits, always looks like he just stepped out of a GQ shoot. He’s been there since 2001—covering disasters, elections, you name it. And yeah, he’s always been paid well—like, $12 million well. But $18 million? That’s next-level.
Here’s why everyone’s mad
So Puck News dropped this bomb about Cooper’s salary. And look, TV news has always paid its stars stupid money. But here’s the thing: CNN’s parent company is cutting costs everywhere. Layoffs? Happening. Budgets? Shrinking. So when regular employees—producers, researchers, the people who actually make the news happen—are getting axed while Cooper banks $18 mil? Yeah, that stings.
One staffer put it bluntly: “Try explaining to someone making $50K why they’re getting canned while Anderson could buy a small island every year.” Ouch.
CNN’s money problems aren’t new
Let me break it down: ratings are down, ads pay less than they used to, and streaming’s eating everyone’s lunch. Warner Bros. Discovery (CNN’s owner) has been swinging the budget axe for months. And honestly? This feels like that time Chris Cuomo got $6 million on his way out—same outrage, different year.
What people aren’t saying
On one hand, Cooper pulls in viewers. That matters when you’re competing with Fox and MSNBC. But on the other hand—and this is the messy part—how many jobs could $18 million save? Five? Ten? There’s no easy answer, but the optics are terrible.
Twitter’s having a field day, obviously. Some folks are like, “He’s earned it!” Others? Let’s just say the word “obscene” keeps popping up. Even media analysts are calling this a symptom of how broken TV news has become.
Where this goes next
Here’s my take: CNN’s stuck. They need stars to stay relevant, but they can’t keep cutting the little guys. Something’s gotta give—maybe Cooper takes a pay cut (doubt it), maybe more layoffs happen (probably). Either way, morale’s in the gutter. And when the people making the news don’t trust their own network? That’s bad for business.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about one guy’s paycheck. It’s about what we value in news—flashy names or the teams that do the actual work. And right now? The math ain’t mathing.
Want to dive deeper?
- Puck’s original scoop (they broke the story)
- Variety’s take on CNN’s never-ending drama
- Twitter rage for your daily dose of outrage
Source: NY Post – Business
