CNN hires L.A.-based anchor Elex Michaelson

CNN has hired a new anchor to work out of its West Coast bureau and provide live coverage across two hours currently devoted to repeats of its evening programming.

Elex Michaelson is slated to start anchoring from midnight to 2 a.m. eastern time starting in the fall of 2025. The timeslot translates to 9 to 11 p.m. Los Angeles time.

The broadcast will replace repeats of “Erin Burnett OutFront” and “CNN NewsNight.” Both shows will remain in production, however, and continue to air live at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. eastern, respectively. CNN did not indicate what show title Michaelson will anchor under.

Michaelson’s broadcast will be carried live across CNN’s domestic and international feeds, the network said, including from 5 to 7 a.m. for viewers in London and from noon to 2 p.m. for those in Hong Kong.

Like its rivals MSNBC and FNC, CNN relies largely on repeats of its evening and primetime programming during overnight hours in the east. This creates a gap in new programming for viewers in other time zones, especially the mountain and Pacific regions, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. Adding the live coverage will also allow it to simulcast the coverage around the world.

In London and Hong Kong, CNN currently airs the international version of “CNN Newsroom” with a 15-minute break for “World Sport” during Michaelson’s timeslot. It’s not clear if this Michaelson is taking over under the “Newsroom” banner or if international viewers will continue seeing “World Sport,” perhaps as a cutaway from the domestic feed. 

“I am so excited to join CNN and learn firsthand from some of the most talented journalists on the planet,” said Michaelson in a statement. “I’m especially grateful that CNN is expanding its investment in my hometown as the West Coast houses so many global leaders in politics, entertainment, technology, sports and more. This is truly a dream job.”

Michaelson comes to CNN from KTTV in Los Angeles, where he anchored continuous breaking news coverage of Southern California’s devastating wildfires, civil unrest, mass shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic.

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While at KTTV, Michaelson created, hosted and executive produced California’s first weekly statewide political talk show, “The Issue Is with Elex Michaelson,” conducting interviews with key political figures including Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He previously worked as a reporter at KABC in Los Angeles and as a weekend morning anchor and weeknight reporter at XETV in San Diego.

Michaelson graduated first in his class from the Annenberg School of Journalism at the University of Southern California, achieving summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors while earning dual degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.