Broadcasting & Cable reports today that CNN has locked up blue-eyed and bedimpled anchor Anderson Cooper for a multi-year deal, wherein he will be permitted to continue acting as a contributor to CBS' "60 Minutes." B&C's sources place Cooper's annual take at $4 million, roughly double his current deal, valued at approximately $2 million per year by B&C's industry sources. Cooper, the darling of CNN after his breakout during Hurricane Katrina coverage, replaced veteran anchor Aaron Brown in the fall of 2005 and became the focus of a multi-million dollar promotional push by the network. CNN has been rewarded by tons of media coverage and, more importantly, the numbers, which B&C reports were up 30% in the all-important 25-54 demo. Cooper's book, "Dispatches From The Edge," was a bestseller almost immediately when it came out last May, hitting the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list soon after. This move knocks out speculation that Cooper might be considering a move to CBS after his name was floated as a possible contender to anchor the network's flailing The Early Show.
