Atlanta , Georgia ( CNN ) -- Kathleen Parker , the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist who co-hosted CNN 's 8 p.m. show , is leaving just five months after the show debuted , the company announced Friday . `` I have decided to return to a schedule that will allow me to focus more on my syndicated newspaper column and other writings , '' Parker said in a statement . She said she enjoyed her time on the show `` Parker Spitzer '' with former New York Gov . Eliot Spitzer , but she had missed focusing full-time on her column in the months she had been working on the show . `` With the show going in a new direction , it is a good time to move on , '' Parker said . `` I want to thank the viewers who have been so kind with their comments and support . '' Ken Jautz , CNN executive vice president , said a new program , called `` In the Arena , '' will begin Monday . Spitzer will remain on that show , which will adopt `` an ensemble format with several newsmakers , guests and contributors joining Eliot Spitzer each night . '' `` E.D . Hill and Will Cain join the program as well as others within and outside the CNN family , '' Jautz said . Parker will occasionally appear on CNN to `` provide her insights and commentary , '' Jautz said . `` We thank Kathleen for her hard work and all that she has done to help us launch our new 8 p.m. program , '' Jautz said in a note to staff . `` We respect her as a colleague and appreciate her perspective and contributions . '' Added Spitzer , `` It has been a joy working with her as a teammate , and I continue to be a huge fan of the wisdom that jumps from her written work and the wit , charm and insight she brings to all that she does . '' `` Parker Spitzer '' launched last September in the 8 p.m. hour . Parker is one of the nation 's most prolific and popular opinion columnists , appearing twice weekly in more than 400 newspapers . In May , she was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for her political opinion columns .
Kathleen Parker , co-host of CNN 's 8 p.m. show , decides to leave . - June 1 : Show `` Parker Spitzer '' launched last September .