Jim Acosta Expected To Leave CNN
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Jim Acosta is expected to leave CNN, according to Oliver Darcy of Status News.
Darcy, a former CNN reporter, on Monday night said the 18-year veteran of the network has indicated to associates that he plans to leave the network after being removed from his 10 a.m. weekday time slot by CNN CEO Mark Thompson.
Earlier this month, Darcy said Thompson asked Acosta to anchor a show during the graveyard shift – from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m.
On Monday, Darcy reported:
Jim Acosta is expected to exit CNN.
The anchor, I’m told, signaled to associates in private conversations over the weekend that he intends to depart the network after its chief executive, Mark Thompson, booted him from the morning programming lineup — a move that conspicuously coincided with Donald Trump’s return to power.
CNN brass, as we first reported earlier this month, decided to strip Acosta of his 10am show, which he has anchored to great ratings success over the last 11 months, at times even seeing higher viewership than programs in the channel’s prime time bloc. Acosta was instead offered the less-than-desirable option of anchoring a show from midnight until 2am ET. CNN pitched the gig to Acosta as anchoring during prime time on the West Coast and said he could move to Los Angeles to host the program. But the reality is the program would have aired at a time in which cable news viewership is at its lowest levels.
Regarding Thompson’s suggesting that Acosta move to midnight, one source familiar with the situation said CNN was offering a sacrifice of sorts to Acosta’s longtime nemesis, President Donald Trump.
“They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump,” a source told Darcy. “Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.”
Acosta’s removal from the morning lineup was part of a broader shakeup at CNN. As Mediaite reported last week:
The Lead with Jake Tapper will be moving to 5-7 p.m. ET, up from its current 4-6 p.m. slot. Debuting at 4 p.m. will be The Arena, hosted by Kasie Hunt who currently anchors CNN This Morning. Audie Cornish will be taking over that 6 a.m. slot while Rahel Solomon will lead a new show called 5 Things at 5 a.m.
Wolf Blitzer will also be moving to the 10 a.m. slot with Pamela Brown. This leaves a question mark over current 10 a.m. anchor Jim Acosta, best known for his feisty exchanges with President Donald Trump and his allies. Acosta’s hour has performed well in the ratings for CNN — on Tuesday, his 10 a.m. show grew to 700,000 total viewers, up from 500,000 in the prior hour.
Last week, CNN also laid off about six percent of its workforce.
