Another International Loss For CNN: Michael Ware Leaves Network (Update)

by Steve Krakauer | 5:07 pm, April 28th, 2010

» 19 comments

CNN foreign correspondent Michael Ware, who has reported from Baghdad and recently in Mexico, is leaving the network.

CNN tells Mediaite he is “on a leave of absence writing a book,” but AllThingsCNN.com reports he has left for good.

From AllThingsCNN.com:

In addition to having taken a break recently in order to work on his book, it is no secret that he has been grappling with PTSD, brought on from the hellish years he worked in Baghdad. I was told that, unfortunately, when he needed more time off in order to deal with things, his request was denied. So he will not be returning.

A CNN spokesperson tells Mediaite, “”Michael is currently on a leave of absence writing a book. We don’t discuss individual contracts.” The spokesperson declined to respond directly to the AllThingsCNN.com post. Ware’s bio is still currently listed on CNN.com.

Former CNN correspondent Jamie McIntyre, who left the network in December 2008, writes about Ware’s departure on his blog:

Unlike old-fashioned journosaurs, Ware did not bother to balance his CNN reports with possible alternative explanations for the facts. He sized up the situation, rendered a judgment, and delivered the verdict without apology. And he was right, far more often than he was wrong. A friend of mine at CNN bristled when I suggested Ware was not an objective journalist. “He didn’t toe the Pentagon line,” he replied, “He called him like he saw them.“

McIntyre also suggested Ware could be back on CNN in the future.

Ware may have been CNN’s 2nd most visible international presence, behind Christiane Amanpour – she leaves the network at the end of the month, to take over ABC’s This Week. Fareed Zakaria contributes an internationally-focused show on the weekends, but he is not an in-the-field reporter. Ware’s loss will be felt in the short-term – he hasn’t been on the air this year (according to TV Eyes), except his reports from Mexico from 2009 aired in March several times. But it could hurt in the long-term as well.

One thing that CNN has going for it, however, is the very vibrant CNN International resources. It’s a place CNN domestic can draw from to find the next great foreign reporting talent.

UPDATE: A CNN spokesperson had the following further comment for Mediaite:

“With regard to Michael Ware, CNN has been and continues to be very supportive. Any issues regarding his contract remain confidential between Michael and CNN.

On the wider issue of PTSD, CNN is rightly regarded as an industry leader in this area. We offer outstanding help and support services to employees, past and present, in this area.”

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Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Michael Ware

http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Odds are definitely against Ware’s going to Fox Not News. Ware is a journalist, he’d never survive at the RNC propaganda outlet.
Toshiba2

Sad day for CNN, I really enjoyed Michael Ware!
Anne 1

Bill Adkins, naughty boy !

You are the weakest link , Goodbye !
Olby Sucks

With Obama in the big house, it’s not in ware’s best interest to fund snipers to kill American troops anymore. Take care you POS!
Olby Sucks

“PTSD.” What a panzy!
Cactus

Good riddance. I didn’t appreciate his obvious personal “input” when he covered the beginning of the Iraq war from Baghdad.

(what?? I thought Cactus was a liberal?? OMG)
Ted

Olby – you give new meaning to the term “moron” – congrats on that. There are journalist like Ware and then there are snake oil salesman like Beck, problem is, you are unable to discriminate between the two. Thanks for yet another scintillating commentary.
Olby Sucks

I’ll take Beck over ware any day!

“I’ve been given a front-row ticket to watch this slow-motion train wreck … I try to stay as drunk for as long as possible while I’m here … In fact, I’m drinking now.”

ware
libra blue

Wait a minute, isn’t AllThingsCNN just an extension of the fan site AllThingsAnderson? So now news blogs are using fan sites as sources? Things are getting bad!
Olby Sucks

A journalist is supposed to be informative, “ted.” Mw was not informative in the least bit. He never “reported” anything from the iraq war that we didn’t already know about. We already knew that snipers were killing our troops, we didn’t need mw to tell us that.
Ted

Olby says I’ll take Beck over Ware any day!

Olby – Uh – no shit, it shows.
Olby Sucks

Nice rebuttal. Wait, you didn’t have one…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Commentbug-Here/100000846533692 Commentbug Here

thats not that big of a deal, how good is he really?
http://www.commentbug.com
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annejaa

I think writing a book is just an excuse for leaving CNN.He might be writing the book but this gives him a point that he can leave CNN.
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Averreauxii

That’s a big loss. He is an excellent reporter and one who is KNOWLEGABLE of his reporting. It helps greatly when he can communicate directly with the locals in Iraq/Afghanistan. That is simply a huge advantage. I hope he gets back. With CNN losing Amanpour who was pretty unmatched when it came to international news (tenure and experience) on ANY network, and the loss of Ware, they are screwed. They at least have Fareed Zakaria who is excellent in international news coverage and doing things journalists never do nowadays. INFORM.
http://lauriebethsgrotto.wordpress.com Laurie Beth

AllThingsCNN might be a fan site but they have inside sources and they are not wrong about this. The Huffington Post and TV Newser also credited them as a source.
libra blue

@Laurie Beth, “The Huffington Post and TV Newser also credited them as a source.”

When fan blogs have better sources than the news blogs what does that say about the news blogs? Actually most of that stuff about Ware was common knowledge and the rest is not a revelation if you know anything about Ware.

TV Newser and Mediaite seem to have the same sources so that isn’t a big deal, as for HuffPo, well . . .
Nachi

That’s a damned shame. Ware is terrific. Gutsy – and a truth-speaker. Just what the Republiscum so detest.

Shame he was never permitted to describe the luxuries of the pansified ‘Green Zone.” But one day soon someone will.