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Jim Acosta, chief domestic correspondent for CNN, announced today he’s leaving the network he’s been a part of since 2007. Find out why the longtime broadcast journalist is stepping away and if he was fired.
Who is Jim Acosta?
Jim Acosta (born Abilio James Acosta) was raised in Virginia and received his formal education at James Madison University, where he received bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a minor in political science. He worked at a radio station in Washington before transitioning to TV, working as a reporter at various stations in Chicago, Dallas, and Forth Worth before joining CBS News as a correspondent.
In 2007, he joined CNN. He was promoted to national political correspondent in 2012, rose the ranks to chief White House correspondent in 2018, and was appointed chief domestic correspondent and weekend anchor — his last role with the famed network.
Jim once engaged in a memorable exchange with President Donald Trump during a press conference in 2018. During the on-air dispute, Trump paced angrily from the podium, shook his finger, and told the stunned reporter that CNN “should be ashamed” to have him working for them. “You are a rude terrible person, you shouldn’t be working for CNN,” Trump said during the heated exchange.
Was Jim Acosta Fired From CNN?
Jim Acosta was not fired from CNN. However, during the network’s rescheduling, he was left with an option he didn’t feel he could accept.
Why is Jim Acosta Leaving CNN?
According to the New York Post, Jim’s 10 a.m. morning spot was recently replaced by The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown. Per the outlet, CNN asked him to take a midnight program slot just ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump — an option he found untenable. “You may have seen some reports about me and this show and after giving all of this some careful consideration, and weighing an alternative timeslot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on,” he said while on air on Tuesday, January 28.
Per Fox News, he also had some stern parting words regarding freedom of the press. “I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account,” he said. “I have always tried to do that here at CNN. I plan on doing all of that in the future. One final message – don’t give into the lies. Don’t give into the fear. Hold onto the truth. And to hope, even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. I will not give into the lies. I will not give into the fear. Post it on your social media, so people can hear from you, too. Until then, I want to thank all of you for tuning in. It has been an honor to be welcomed into your home for all of these years.”
The network also weighed in with a formal statement thanking the journalist for his service. “Jim has had a long, distinguished nearly 20-year career at CNN, with a track record of standing up to authority, for the first amendment and for our journalistic freedoms,” read the statement, according to the New York Post. “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.”
Read the full article here