CNN chief Mark Thompson has proposed shifting veteran anchor Jim Acosta’s successful morning show to a midnight timeslot, a move that comes just as former President Donald Trump prepares to return to office.
CNN’s boss has reportedly called Acosta in to propose shifting his show, CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, from its current 10 a.m. slot to midnight through 2 a.m. ET. Thompson has suggested the later slot would allow the show to air during prime time on the West Coast and reach international audiences through streaming.
“They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump,” an insider told the Status newsletter. “Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.”
The timing of the proposed change has raised eyebrows within media circles, coming just days before Trump’s return to the White House. Acosta’s relationship with Trump has been notably contentious, leading to the White House revoking his press pass in 2018 after a heated clash during a press conference.
During that pivotal 2018 confrontation, as an aide attempted to take the microphone from Acosta’s hands, Trump declared: “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.”
The tensions continued throughout Trump’s presidency. In a 2020 press conference exchange, Acosta challenged Trump, stating: “Mr. President, I think our record on delivering the truth is a lot better than yours sometimes.” Trump responded: “Let me tell you about your record, your record is so bad you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You have the worst record in the history of broadcasting.”
Another notable clash occurred over border policy when Acosta asked: “What do you say to critics who say that you are creating a national emergency? That you’re concocting a national emergency here to get your wall.” Trump retorted: “Your question is a very political question because you have an agenda. You’re CNN. You’re fake news.”
The programming shuffle would also affect longtime anchor Wolf Blitzer, 76, who currently hosts The Situation Room weekdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Under the proposed changes, Blitzer would move to a new morning timeslot alongside Pamela Brown, potentially gaining an additional hour of airtime. Some industry observers suggest this move could serve as “something of an off-ramp” for the veteran broadcaster.
The network’s broader restructuring comes as parent company Warner Bros. Discovery plans to invest $70 million in expanding digital content and launching new properties in areas such as health and wellness. The changes may also include relocating more production staff to CNN’s Atlanta facilities to reduce costs.
Hours before news of his potential schedule change broke, Acosta made headlines by holding up a bright pink sign during his broadcast that read: “I march for Jim Acosta and a free press,” contributed by a CNN Fan.
During the same segment, Acosta defended journalism’s role, stating: “Journalists exist to seek the truth, to tell people stories, to lift up voices that may not be heard otherwise. To shine a light on injustice and hold the powerful accountable, we are not the enemy of the people we are the defender of the people.”