Depending on who you ask, CNN anchor Jim Acosta will get a chance to speak to a wider audience in a new, non-traditional time slot, or he'll step away from the daily conversation about the news entirely.

CNN executives have asked Acosta to take on a new role hosting a show that will air from midnight to 2 a.m. on the East Coast, according to two people familiar with the matter. Even so, the show has the opportunity to provide live breaking news to viewers on the West Coast and overseas, where audiences remain active and hungry for information.

The offer was made this week and Acosta may have no other options, according to these people. Acosta gained broader visibility at CNN for his coverage of the White House during President Donald Trump's first administration. It's understood Wolf Blitzer will soon join Pamela Brown for two hours in the late morning hours, according to a person familiar with the matter, while morning show exec Kathy Hunter is in discussions Take on a role in the late-night show where Blitzer once ruled.

For the past 11 months, Acosta has been hosting CNN's 10 a.m. show after working weekend shifts. He is said to have accepted a potential offer from a rival at the time.

CNN declined to comment on potential personnel changes. The Status newsletter previously reported on Acosta's possible new assignment.

CNN, which has been grappling with slumping ratings, has long been considering a series of moves to focus more on digital content, with staff growing increasingly anxious about what those ideas would portend. The layoffs and new changes to the schedule of the company's flagship cable network were long expected, according to two people familiar with the matter. Employees also believe CNN could move more production staff to facilities in Atlanta, which would help it cut wages and real estate in New York and Washington, D.C.

Some CNN staffers may view Acosta's move from morning to evening as a demotion. After all, CNN typically airs repeats of its prime-time shows in the early morning hours to get them in front of viewers in California and elsewhere. In fact, Acosta may move to Los Angeles to take on new responsibilities as part of CNN's offer, according to people familiar with the matter. Anchors Victor Blackwell and Phil Mattingly have each moved to New York in recent months to take on new assignments, but as the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet continues Trying to fix the problem, they lost them in a very short time, so the staff became increasingly wary of such invitations. Its linear audience has declined significantly.

The timing of the proposal also sparked backlash within CNN, according to a person familiar with the matter. Acosta often battled with the Trump administration during his time as White House correspondent. In November 2019, he found himself temporarily banned from the White House press room by the Trump administration because the commander-in-chief frequently disliked the questions Acosta posed to him at various events. Later, when CNN won and was reinstated to his staff, Acosta became a symbol of America's First Amendment faith.

At a time when more and more businesses and media organizations appear eager to win Trump's favor, moving Acosta to a previously vacant position could be seen as kowtowing. In recent months, CNN has taken steps to attract conservative viewers, giving more time to former George W. Bush adviser Scott Jennings and inviting guests like Gretchen Carlson, Juan Williams Former Fox News personalities such as Si and Geraldo Rivera have appeared on "News Night." The 10pm roundtable program features lively discussions between people with conflicting political beliefs.

Acosta's name has come up in the past as a potential candidate for the chopping block. Under former CEO Chris Licht, CNN parted ways with a handful of staffers seen as emblematic of the crusading ethos espoused by Jeff Zucker. Jeff Zucker has run the network for about ten years, starting in 2013. Don Lemon, John Harwood and Brian Stelter all exited to cover CNN during Licht's tenure, but Stelter returned in 2024.

Employees of the network may receive additional benefits. CNN CEO Mark Thompson recently told employees that parent company Warner Bros. Discovery plans to invest $70 million in its strategic vision to enhance digital content . CNN is expected to consider new programming related to health, wellness and other topics executives hope will interest consumers. "We will develop new digital products with a special focus on digital experiences worth paying for," the executive told employees in a memo in July.