The January 2025 programming changes introduced by CNN molded new programming strategies to refresh their schedule while adjusting for modern consumer tastes. The Situation Room led by Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown shifted to the 10 a.m. Eastern slot to replace CNN Newsroom which Jim Acosta used to anchor.
CNN provided Jim Acosta with the opportunity to lead a 2-hour broadcast which aired between midnight and 2 a.m. Eastern Time throughout this network restructuring. During West Coast evening hours between 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. viewers would watch the show broadcast from the East Coast. Acosta's proposed transfer included a reassignment from the Washington D.C. headquarters to Los Angeles where he would work at CNN's local bureau.
Acosta refused the broadcast position at CNN and departed from his network duties on January 28th 2025 after maintaining 18 years of network service. Acosta stressed journalistic ethics alongside political responsibility management in his last CNN broadcast.
The March 3rd premiere of CNN's new programming did not feature the midnight show that had been suggested for Acosta before his departure. Anderson Cooper 360 and Erin Burnett OutFront continued to broadcast re-runs during network programming across the late evening slot. Sources from CNN confirmed the network made a deliberate offer to Acosta for the midnight time slot but avoided adding a replacement anchor in the immediate future.
The absence of both Acosta and his proposed midnight show reveals how news networks struggle to maintain talent and programming options while attracting viewers. The future growth of CNN depends strongly on the network's strategic decision-making related to programming schedules.