There’s a reason CNN is seeing early returns from adding The Story Is with Elex Michaelson to its late-night lineup, and it starts with timing. In the wake of the Nancy Guthrie case, news hasn’t been keeping banker’s hours.
CNN recognized that reality, leaned into it, and is now better positioned because of it.
Some will look at a show that begins at Midnight ET and dismiss it as wasted real estate. That reaction feels outdated. News doesn’t stop because New York is yawning, and neither should a global news network. The Guthrie case has proven that point night after night.
Many of the most consequential developments have happened late. Court filings drop. Statements are released. Law enforcement updates emerge. Social media ignites. By the time morning shows come on, the conversation is already well underway.
That’s where having a live show matters. Reruns can’t pivot. Believe it or not, tape can’t adjust. A live hour can respond immediately when the story shifts direction. Michaelson’s show has done exactly that.
This isn’t about chasing viral clips or forcing urgency. It’s about being present when news actually breaks. CNN spent years essentially punting on that window with recycled primetime programming. That approach saved money, but it surrendered relevance.
Replacing reruns with live coverage is a signal. It says the network values viewers whenever they show up. It also acknowledges there’s a great big world outside of the Eastern Time Zone.
Midnight in New York is 9 PM on the West Coast. It’s earlier in Hawaii. It’s the middle of the workday in parts of Asia and Australia. CNN sells itself as a global brand, and this move finally aligns with that pitch.
Viewers don’t need hype at midnight. They need clarity. They want someone who can calmly explain what just happened and why it matters. That’s what the program has delivered so far.
There’s also value in continuity. When a story breaks late, covering it live builds trust with the audience following along in real time. They’re not being told to wait until morning. That relationship pays off. Viewers who feel served at unconventional hours — in the heat of the moment, when news is breaking in real time — remember it. They come back. They recommend the coverage. Over time, that loyalty compounds.
The Guthrie case has drawn sustained attention. Each new development has added layers, not closure. Viewers are on the edge of their seat, waiting for the next development. CNN having a live platform ready when those layers appear is already proving worthwhile.
Critics might still argue the ratings ceiling is limited. That may be true in raw numbers. Influence isn’t only measured by overnight Nielsen data. It’s measured by relevance, reach, and responsiveness. And yes, while that’s ultimately the scorecard, we often forget the phrase “Perception is reality.” And if the perception is that viewers can tune into CNN at an unconventional time, and find live coverage of the stories they want to see, their perception of the brand is going to be better.
CNN hasn’t solved all its programming challenges with one show. No single hour can do that. But this move reflects smarter thinking about how people actually consume news.
The audience isn’t monolithic anymore. It’s fragmented across time zones, schedules, and platforms. Meeting them where they are requires flexibility. Live programming provides that.
The Story Is with Elex Michaelson has shown that Midnight ET doesn’t have to be, and isn’t, a dead zone. It’s an opportunity. In the middle of an evolving legal saga, CNN chose to be present rather than passive.
That decision is already paying dividends. It’s a win for viewers. It’s a win for cable news as a whole. And for a network trying to reassert its relevance, it’s a step in the right direction.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
this is true – but I watched that whole episode with Elex on Feb. 13th… the Live coverage was important indeed… but I found his interviews and dialogue to be lacking. He repetitively belabored the point that the Sheriff had said they would give an update and then they announced the Sheriff backed out on the update. He fished and fished to get someone to say that it was the FBI’s doing that the update didn’t happen. We are not entitled to updates… we have to trust that there was a valid reason there was not a Live update that night from the Sherriff or the FBI. I found Elex to be sub-par – not on a CNN level of reporting at all. It was redundant and you could see even his guests were simply not feeding into what Elex was trying to get them to say.
He is a complete lightweight AND reactionary. Cancel him and bring back Kaitlin Collins