Longtime CNN anchor Jim Acosta is exiting the network. His departure follows an extensive programming reshuffle that would have seen him moving from the 10 a.m. ET time slot to midnight.
Acosta announced his departure at the end of his Tuesday broadcast, thanking his co-workers and offering some parting words for his viewers. “It’s never a good time to bow down to a tyrant,” he remarked, adding: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth – and to hope.”
In a statement provided to TVNewser, a CNN spokesperson praised Acosta for his “long, distinguished” career at the network. “[He] has 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.”
“I’ve decided to move on” from CNN, @Acosta says, while expressing gratitude to the network and its viewers.
Some parting words: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth – and to hope.” pic.twitter.com/3OdyLTCGN8
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 28, 2025
That future will apparently involve a new show on Substack. Later on Tuesday afternoon, Acosta announced that The Jim Acosta Show would be coming to the platform soon. “Welcome to my new venture,” he said in an introductory video. “I’m going independent, at least for now.”
“I wanted to invite you to join me here on this platform as we talk about the day’s news, talk about politics and so on,” Acosta added, previewing what his Substack show might look like.
Oliver Darcy first reported Acosta’s decision to exit CNN in his Status newsletter. CNN’s Brian Stelter also included news of the departure in his Reliable Sources newsletter, citing sources close to the matter.
Meanwhile, Variety reports that Acosta would inform viewers of his departure on Tuesday’s newscast. The anchor teased that exit statement in his own post on X, formerly Twitter.
