Bill Weir is Joining CNN

By Chris Ariens 

Bill Weir is joining CNN, TVNewser has learned.

As we reported earlier, Weir is leaving ABC his TV home since 2004. At CNN, Weir will work on several shows and develop a program for primetime. This will begin speculation about where, in primetime, Weir’s show will land. CNN isn’t talking about it yet.

Weir is the latest ABC talent to make the move to CNN. Anchors John Berman and Jake Tapper joined last year, Chris Cuomo came aboard earlier this year, and correspondent Jim Scuitto joined last month. Andrew Morse, who worked at ABC News, then Bloomberg TV, joined CNN in August as SVP of domestic newsgathering and digital editorial. Former ABC News talent executive Amy Entelis is now CNN’s talent and acquisitions chief.

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> 3:15pm | Official: Weir will have the title of Chief Innovation Correspondent. He joins in November. CNN’s release after the jump…

BILL WEIR JOINS CNN

CNN announced today that Bill Weir is joining the network as an anchor and Chief Innovation Correspondent. At a time when CNN is expanding the definition of news, the former anchor of ABC News’ Nightline will work with producers to develop original programming across the schedule. He will join CNN in November, and be based in New York.

“Bill’s range, sensibility and curiosity set him apart,” said CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker. “He brings a unique storytelling style, perspective and sense of humor to CNN, and he will be a key player as we continue to expand our line-up.”

In addition to his anchoring and development roles, Weir will bring his forward-looking perspective to coverage of the innovation and technology space. After filing groundbreaking reports from around the world on the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Facebook he will continue to document the pace of leading-edge innovation for CNN.

Said Weir, “I’m ecstatic to join a team with such vast resources and such strong commitment to covering our world. Nightline was a blast and while I’ll always be indebted to my ABC friends this is a chance to mix journalism and creative storytelling in a whole new way. I can’t wait.”

While at ABC, Weir anchored and reported from the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of northern Japan in the hours after the tsunami. Thanks to his unique style of storytelling, his audience got refreshing insight on everything from the economic rise of China and India to the political battlegrounds of American elections, and his engaging investigative reports were a signature of ABC’s “The Lookout” this summer. Weir was also an original anchor of Good Morning America’s weekend edition and contributed heavily to ABC digital video efforts.

Prior to his arrival at ABC News in 2007, Weir spent time writing and developing shows in Hollywood after years as an anchor and reporter in Los Angeles, Chicago and Green Bay.

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