>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
Acosta is reportedly considering leaving CNN after receiving a surprising phone call from new CEO Mark Thompson. The Los Angeles Times revealed that Thompson offered Acosta a drastic change in his schedule: relocating to Los Angeles to host a late-night newscast airing from midnight to 2 a.m. Eastern Time.
“Jim Acosta received a peculiar telephone call from CNN chief Mark Thompson. Thompson, I’m told, delivered the veteran journalist a sudden and strange proposal: Move your show to midnight and anchor it until 2 a.m. ET,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
The proposal has sparked speculation that CNN may be trying to nudge Acosta out the door without outright firing him. Moving Acosta to the late-night “graveyard shift” and asking him to uproot his family could be interpreted as a deliberate strategy to encourage his resignation.
CNN has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors. A spokesperson told the New York Post, “We are in active discussions with Jim about a new time slot and will have more information to share soon.”
Mark Thompson’s tenure as CNN’s CEO marks a stark departure from the network’s earlier editorial approach, particularly during Trump’s first term. According to reports, Thompson has urged CNN’s journalists to adopt a more balanced tone and to avoid the polarizing rhetoric that defined its coverage during Trump’s presidency.
Anti-Trump activist Oliver Darcy reported that Thompson had emphasized to network staff the importance of forward-thinking journalism, cautioning against rehashing past grievances. “Thompson indicated to attendees, I’m told, that he wanted his journalists to be forward-thinking and to avoid pre-judging Trump. He cautioned against expressing any outrage of their own, as many of the anchors who make up CNN’s roster of journalists had previously done with regularity during Trump’s first term,” Darcy wrote.
Just Released: Trump White House Collector’s Bobblehead!
This shift could spell trouble for Acosta, whose brand has long been associated with his fervent criticism of Trump. His clashes with the former president made him a household name among liberal audiences, but they also drew accusations of bias and led Trump to famously brand CNN as “fake news.”
As CNN attempts to shed its polarizing image, Acosta’s future with the network remains uncertain. Critics argue that his style of journalism is incompatible with Thompson’s vision for a more neutral and forward-looking CNN.
If Acosta chooses to accept the late-night role, it may be seen as a demotion, while a resignation would allow him to depart on his own terms. Either way, Thompson’s proposal appears to be a calculated move to ease Acosta out of his current role.
In the end, the question remains whether Acosta will take the offer or leave CNN altogether. For now, his tenure at the network seems to be hanging by a thread, signaling yet another shakeup in an already turbulent media landscape.
