Brian Stelter returning to CNN after dramatic ousting by network's old boss: 'Surprise!'

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Ousted CNN host Brian Stelter announced he's returning to the network after the leadership that handed him a pink slip in 2022 was similarly shown the door. 

"I am thrilled to share that I am returning as the lead author of CNN’s Reliable Sources newsletter, the digest I founded in 2015," Stelter wrote in a "surprise" message to "Reliable Sources" readers on Tuesday. "I'm returning to CNN in a brand new role as Chief Media Analyst, which means I'll be appearing on air, developing digital content, and helming this newsletter."

Stelter said his return to CNN, which officially starts Sept. 9, won't be the same as his previous stint at the network, insisting "because I am different."

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"The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed a lot since I signed off two years ago," Stelter wrote. "After 20+ years as a news junkie, I changed my habits and tuned out for a bit. I also changed my vantage point, moving from Manhattan to a horse farm near one of Donald Trump's golf clubs. I experienced the news more like an everyday consumer, and in doing so, I learned a whole lot about the attention economy and the information ecosystem. I’m looking forward to sharing what I learned with you."

Brian Stelter is returning to CNN after his firing from the network two years ago. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)

Stelter suggested in Tuesday's announcement that while he's returning to CNN's "Reliable Sources" newsletter, his "Reliable Sources" TV program will not be revived. 

Stelter was fired by CNN in 2022 by his then-boss Chris Licht, who at the time was "determined to tamp down spectacle" and tasked by his own bosses at parent company Warner Bros. Discovery to restore CNN's journalistic credibility by shedding its left-wing partisanship. 

Throughout much of his nine-year stint at CNN, Stelter was widely seen as an on-air favorite of Licht's predecessor Jeff Zucker, who turned the "most trusted name in news" network into an anti-Trump media organization. 

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Stelter carried out Zucker's mission as host of the Sunday media-centric program "Reliable Sources," which spent much of its on-air time attacking Donald Trump before, during and after his presidency. He was also fixated on criticizing conservative media while avoiding major controversies in the legacy media, often even defending his liberal colleagues at other outlets. 

For years, Stelter was derided by conservatives as the media's "janitor" as a result. 

Stelter's "Reliable Sources" program was canceled by CNN in August 2022.  (Screenshot/CNN)

As host of "Reliable Sources," Stelter hyped Russiagate, fawned over Andrew Cuomo's coronavirus response, and in Oct. 2020 called the Hunter Biden laptop story a "manufactured scandal" peddled by the "right-wing media machine." He even called disgraced anti-Trump lawyer Michael Avenatti a "serious" presidential contender going into the 2020 election cycle.

Less than a year after Stelter was fired, Licht himself was also ousted as reports of internal strife plagued his tenue and his failure to earn the trust of CNN's rank and file resulted in a public revolt. 

Following Licht's June 2023 departure from CNN, Stelter began reappearing on the network as a guest, fueling speculation that his formal return to the network was imminent. A source familiar with Stelter's bookings told Fox News Digital earlier this year there were no discussions about bringing him back in an official capacity. 

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Stelter was fired by then-CNN CEO Chris Licht, who was ousted from the network less than a year later. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)

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While Stelter was rejected by Licht, he is being quickly embraced by CNN's current CEO, Mark Thompson. 

"I’m very happy to welcome Brian back to CNN in this new role," Thompson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Brian is one of the best global experts in media commentary, and as the founder of the Reliable Sources newsletter, he is the perfect choice to lead Reliable Sources into its next chapter."

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.