Elex Michaelson
CNN has hired former San Diego TV news reporter Elex Michaelson to lead a new late-night newscast to be based in Los Angeles.
Michaelson, a veteran California political reporter and anchor who left LA station KTTV-TV Fox 11 in August, will head a nightly two-hour live broadcast from CNN’s studios on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank starting in mid-October, CNN announced.
Michaelson’s CNN program will air from 9 to 11 p.m. on the West Coast and from midnight to 2 a.m., East Coast time. It will also be carried on CNN International in Europe and Asia, including 5-to-7 a.m. in London and noon-to-2 p.m. in Hong Kong.
“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’s CNN program — the title has not yet been announced — will be the only live cable news show in the post-midnight time slot. CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC run repeats in those hours because the number of homes watching television drops off dramatically after 11 p.m., East Coast time.
“Fox News @ Night,” a nightly newscast anchored by Trace Gallagher that airs at 11 p.m. Eastern and 8 p.m. Pacific, is the only other national cable news show produced in L.A.
It’s believed that Michaelson’s news program will be the first CNN show to be based in Los Angeles since “Larry King Live” ended its run in 2010.
In a social media post, Michaelson said his show will “feature breaking news from CNN’s global correspondents and deep dive interviews and debates moderated by me. The tone will be fair, respectful and inclusive of a variety of perspectives.”
A native of Agoura Hills, Michaelson has spent his entire journalism career in Southern California. Named TV Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club in 2023, Michaelson has won multiple journalism awards including eight Emmy Awards and eight Golden Mikes.
Before KTTV-TV, Michaelson worked as a reporter at KABC-TV in Los Angeles and as a weeknight reporter and weekend morning anchor at XETV-TV Channel 6 in San Diego.
“I do remember Elex,” Chuck Dunning, retired XETV-TV VP and general manager, told Times of San Diego.
Dunning, who spent 39 years working at Channel 6, said, “He was reporting and anchoring the weekend AM News when I became GM in 2010. Our news director at the time had a contact at USC and was recruiting there when she found Elex. We may have been his first job. He and his co-anchor were very energetic and committed to the show. It wasn’t too long before he left for L.A.”
Since 2017, Michaelson had worked at KTTV-TV where he co-anchored the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.
While at KTTV, in addition to his duties as anchor of KTTV’s evening and late-night newscasts, Michaelson created, hosted and executive produced California’s first weekly statewide political talk show, “The Issue Is with Elex Michaelson.” The weekly program was devoted mostly to California issues that aired on several Fox-owned TV stations in the state.
The show included 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.
Michaelson is known for interviewing California Gov. Gavin Newsom perhaps more than any other TV journalist in the state. Newsom is seen as a potential leading candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
Michaelson graduated 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.
c3 Communications retained by California Surf Museum
San Diego public relations firm c3 Communications has been selected as the agency of record by the California Surf Museum in Oceanside.
Joice Truban Curry, c3 president and CEO, said c3 will promote the museum’s Silver Skaters Awards, Silver Surfers Awards and the “Surf Art: Exploring California’s Coastal Culture” exhibit.
“We are very excited to elevate the awareness of the California Surf Museum and the treasure they are,” Curry told Times of San Diego. “Surfing created the California lifestyle we know and enjoy today. You don’t need to be a surfer to enjoy the museum. Their vast collection of surfing lore is tremendously impressive and the surf culture has a great and chill vibe that makes it very rewarding to work on.”
The museum, considered the oldest surf museum in the country, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026. Its permanent collection chronicles the history of surfboards and wave-riding and features one of the world’s richest troves of surfing history.
A Qualcomm jersey
Qualcomm logo on SDFC’s Right to Dream Academy team jersey
San Diego-based Qualcomm Technologies has announced a multi-year agreement with the San Diego Football Club ( that will include Qualcomm’s logo appearing as the front-of-kit partner for SDFC’s Right to Dream Academy team. The term “kit” refers to the uniform jersey worn by players during a match. SDFC is a professional soccer team in its inaugural season as a member of the Major League Soccer.
SDFC’s Right to Dream Academy is designed to identify, develop and educate the next generation of top soccer talent while providing a holistic pathway for student-athletes, a statement said. Qualcomm Technologies will support Right to Dream Academy athletes with its technology by providing products powered by Snapdragon processors in the classroom.
In addition, SDFC and Qualcomm Technologies will launch an annual futsal court refurbishment program, revitalizing playing spaces across San Diego County to ensure more people have safe, accessible and high-quality places to play. Also, Qualcomm Technologies and SDFC will collaborate on annual community-led events for Qualcomm employees, Academy players and club staff to engage with the local community.
The agreement includes Qualcomm Technologies receiving receive marketing, branding and promotional rights, including Qualcomm and Snapdragon brand integration across select SDFC digital platforms and premium signage within Snapdragon Stadium, where SDFC home matches are played.
“This collaboration celebrates the innovation and ambition that define San Diego,” said Tom Penn, CEO of SDFC. “Together with Qualcomm Technologies, we’re creating a future-forward experience for fans at Snapdragon Stadium and throughout the community, while investing in the next generation of soccer players through the Right to Dream Academy and building spaces for the community to enjoy the game.”
“By partnering with SDFC, we are not just enhancing our brand presence, we are making an impact on San Diego and the next generation of soccer stars,” said Don McGuire, senior VP and chief marketing officer, Qualcomm, Inc. “This dynamic collaboration is a game-changer for Qualcomm, SDFC and the local community, setting a new benchmark for sports marketing and community development. This local collaboration complements Qualcomm Technologies’ existing naming rights for Snapdragon Stadium and extends the company’s visibility throughout SDFC’s inaugural MLS season.”
SDFC is owned by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour, the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, and a group of minority investors that includes Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Other minority owners include actress, writer, producer and director Issa Rae, Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer Temilade Openiyi, who goes by Tems, retired U.S. Navy Seal Jocko Willink and Spanish World Cup winner Juan Mata. SDFC concludes regular season matches on Oct. 18 in Portland before awaiting post-season assignments.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
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