SCOOP: Rumors CNN Is Planning to Fire Jim Acosta Are ‘Absolute Bullsh*t,’ Sources Say
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Rumors have been circulating that CNN anchor Jim Acosta is the next boldface name to exit the cable news network in the wake of the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, but those rumors are “absolute bullsh*t,” as one source so colorfully told Mediaite.
There have been a number of major changes since the merger, most notably the shuttering of the CNN+ streaming service after less than a month and the cancellation of Reliable Sources — along with the departure of its host, Brian Stelter.
Journalist Jon Nicosia (a former Mediaite managing editor) set the rumor mill churning with Acosta’s name with several tweets last Tuesday claiming another “big name” would be leaving CNN, and then following up on Friday by identifying that name as Acosta.
Acosta’s name may have sounded plausible for the chopping block in light of reports that CNN’s new president Chris Licht was pushing the network away from the “extremes” of partisan commentary, including being willing to “oust” on-air talent that didn’t fall in line — and several of these reports speculated about Acosta’s fate by expressly mentioning his name.
However, in this case, the rumors seem to be just that — rumors — and Acosta is not going anywhere, with support coming from the very top.
“Absolute bullsh*t,” a source close to CNN leadership told Mediaite about the rumors, saying that Licht himself had made it clear Acosta was safe and there were zero plans to kick him to the curb.
Another source within CNN separately confirmed to Mediaite that Licht is voicing his personal support for Acosta, who hosts CNN Newsroom on the weekend, in a clear and direct way.
When asked about recent shuffles to the CNN schedule like Jake Tapper moving to a prime time slot through the midterm elections and Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow, and Kaitlin Collins launching a new morning program, the original source said that nothing had been decided about possibly changing Acosta’s schedule, but it wasn’t really on the radar to move him to a weekday spot, pointing out that Acosta had been getting strong ratings for his weekend show, even winning the timeslot on a regular basis.
The network brass were really liking Tapper in prime time, viewing him as a great fit, the source added, and were optimistic about the Lemon-Harlow-Collins morning show.
There were still “a lot of open spots” in the CNN schedule, said the source, and the internal perception of the plans moving forward was that Licht would continue to “redeploy our people in a way that he thinks their strengths really show,” drawing on the current CNN roster to fill the need and perhaps “maybe one big hire,” but there were no plans for any other “massive shakeups” or to let anyone else go.
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