Elex Michaelson Joins CNN as Los Angeles-based Anchor

LOS ANGELES – (September 11, 2025) – Elex Michaelson is joining CNN as an anchor based in Los Angeles, the network announced today. He will anchor weeknights from 12-2am New York / 9-11pm Los Angeles / 5-7am London / 12-2pm Hong Kong on CNN and around the world on CNN International starting this fall.

Named TV Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club in 2023, Michaelson – a native of Los Angeles – has won multiple journalism awards including eight Emmy Awards and eight Golden Mikes.

“I am so excited to join CNN and learn firsthand from some of the most talented journalists on the planet,” said Michaelson. “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 FOX 11 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.

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 President 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-TV 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.