Mark Thompson, the head of CNN, is reportedly considering a proposal to move the popular morning show hosted by Jim Acosta to a midnight slot. This comes as Donald Trump begins his presidency.
According to reports, Thompson has discussed with Acosta the idea of moving his show, CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, from its 10 a.m. slot to a midnight to 2 a.m. ET slot. Thompson believes the new slot would enable the show to air during prime time on the West Coast and reach international audiences via streaming.
“They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump,” a source told the Status newsletter. “Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.”
Acosta’s relationship with Trump has been fraught with tension, which led to a significant incident in 2018 when the White House revoked Acosta’s press pass following a heated altercation during a press conference.
In the contentious 2018 incident, Trump criticized Acosta and CNN when an aide attempted to take the microphone away from the CNN reporter. Trump stated: “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 tension between Trump and Acosta persisted throughout Trump’s first presidency. In a 2020 press conference, Acosta challenged Trump’s truthfulness, to which Trump responded by criticizing Acosta’s record.
In another noteworthy incident, Acosta confronted Trump over his border policy, asking about the purported national emergency Trump declared to fund his border wall. Trump responded by accusing Acosta and CNN of having a political agenda and being “fake news.”
The proposed programming changes would also impact veteran anchor Wolf Blitzer, 76, who currently hosts The Situation Room weekdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Under the new plan, Blitzer would move to a morning slot alongside Pamela Brown, potentially adding an extra hour to his airtime. Some have suggested that this could be a gradual transition towards retirement for Blitzer.
The potential changes are part of a larger restructuring by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, which plans to invest $70 million in digital content expansion and the launch of new properties in sectors like health and wellness. The changes might also involve moving more production staff to CNN’s Atlanta facilities to cut costs.
Prior to the news of the potential schedule change, Acosta made headlines by displaying a bright pink sign during his broadcast that read: “I march for Jim Acosta and a free press,” a contribution from a CNN fan.
In the same segment, Acosta underscored the importance of journalism, saying: “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.”
