The ex-White House correspondent, famous for his heated confrontations with former President Donald Trump, shared his decision at the end of his 10 a.m. show on Tuesday.
“You may have seen some reports about me and this show. After careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on,” Acosta stated, reflecting on his long-standing commitment to journalism.
According to the New York Post, Acosta’s exit follows a programming reshuffle by CNN Chairman Mark Thompson, which would have seen him moved to a less prominent midnight slot.
Instead, Acosta opted to part ways with the network, saying, “I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I have always tried to do that here at CNN.”
In his emotional farewell, Acosta expressed gratitude to viewers and urged them to remain vigilant against misinformation.
“Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope. Even if you have to get out your phone and record that message, post it on your social media, so people can hear from you too,” he said.
CNN, in a statement, praised Acosta’s career, saying, “Jim has had a long, distinguished career at CNN, with a track record of standing up to authority, for the First Amendment, and for our journalistic freedoms.
“We want to thank him for the dedication and commitment he’s brought to his reporting and wish him the very best in the future.”
Acosta started at CNN in 2007 and became well-known for his tough questioning of the Trump administration. After the 2020 election, he moved from being the chief White House correspondent to taking on the role of CNN’s chief domestic correspondent.
His exit comes as CNN is going through some big changes under Thompson’s direction. This includes a major overhaul that involves cutting about 200 jobs, which is around 6% of the staff, and shifting focus towards digital media to keep up with how audiences are changing.
Thompson, who previously worked at The New York Times, is leading the network’s transition from traditional cable to digital platforms, backed by a $70 million investment from Warner Bros. Discovery.
The plans involve launching a news streaming service and a lifestyle-focused digital product, with 100 new jobs expected to be created in the digital media space.