'Crossfire's' Novak exits CNN for Fox News
CNN's Novak not returning
Dec 16, 2005
NEW YORK -- Robert Novack, whose syndicated column sparked the CIA leak case and who stormed off a CNN set earlier this year, will join Fox News Channel as a contributor.
Novak, 74, and the network mutually decided not to renew his contract the ends Dec. 31. Fox News Channel confirmed Friday that he would be a contributor to the network beginning in January.
Once one of the most recognizable faces at CNN and one of the few conservative voices there, Novak had fallen out of favor with CNN brass in recent years with his style and the pundit-debate format of shows like "Crossfire" and "The Capital Gang," which he executive produced.
Novak bore the brunt of a sustained assault by "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, who had been turned off by Novak's still-undetermined role in the Valerie Plame-CIA leak case that led to the jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller and the indictment of administration aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. But he wasn't there when Stewart appeared on "Crossfire" and accused the show of "hurting America."
The show was later canceled, as was "Capital Gang." But Novak departure from CNN was stormy nonetheless. He had been off the air since early August, when he walked off a CNN set during a live interview after uttering an obscenity. He served a suspension and apologized but never returned to CNN.
In an interview Friday morning before CNN made the announcement official, Novak said that he didn't want to stay although he didn't think CNN wanted him.
"It was a mutual agreement," Novak said.
He said that neither the Valerie Plame case nor the incident on the set had much to do with his departure.
"I'm sure I wouldn't have stayed anyway. I don't think they would have kept me. It was irrelevant to the final decision," Novak said.
He said that appearing on television had taken an enormous amount of his time and he wanted to scale it back.
"I felt that in 25 years, I had a very good run with CNN. They were very nice to me but all good things come to an end," Novak said. "I felt with all those shows canceled, I'll be 75 years old in February and I felt that I really have been working too hard for somebody my age."
He said he would continue his syndicated column and appear on television, though he wouldn't discuss any specifics. Fox News Channel confirmed his hiring at Fox, however.
Novak, 74, and the network mutually decided not to renew his contract the ends Dec. 31. Fox News Channel confirmed Friday that he would be a contributor to the network beginning in January.
Once one of the most recognizable faces at CNN and one of the few conservative voices there, Novak had fallen out of favor with CNN brass in recent years with his style and the pundit-debate format of shows like "Crossfire" and "The Capital Gang," which he executive produced.
Novak bore the brunt of a sustained assault by "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, who had been turned off by Novak's still-undetermined role in the Valerie Plame-CIA leak case that led to the jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller and the indictment of administration aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. But he wasn't there when Stewart appeared on "Crossfire" and accused the show of "hurting America."
The show was later canceled, as was "Capital Gang." But Novak departure from CNN was stormy nonetheless. He had been off the air since early August, when he walked off a CNN set during a live interview after uttering an obscenity. He served a suspension and apologized but never returned to CNN.
In an interview Friday morning before CNN made the announcement official, Novak said that he didn't want to stay although he didn't think CNN wanted him.
"It was a mutual agreement," Novak said.
He said that neither the Valerie Plame case nor the incident on the set had much to do with his departure.
"I'm sure I wouldn't have stayed anyway. I don't think they would have kept me. It was irrelevant to the final decision," Novak said.
He said that appearing on television had taken an enormous amount of his time and he wanted to scale it back.
"I felt that in 25 years, I had a very good run with CNN. They were very nice to me but all good things come to an end," Novak said. "I felt with all those shows canceled, I'll be 75 years old in February and I felt that I really have been working too hard for somebody my age."
He said he would continue his syndicated column and appear on television, though he wouldn't discuss any specifics. Fox News Channel confirmed his hiring at Fox, however.
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