The launch of the newscast was a result of the formation as Solar Television Network's news and current affairs division, which in turn was brought by the privatization of Radio Philippines Network (RPN) by Solar Entertainment.

Solar Nightly News was simulcasted on RPN (by then affiliated by Solar Entertainment-operated ETC) from January 14 until November 29, 2013, after the network ceased production of its late-night newscast RPN NewsCap due to the retrenchment of the program's production team and other employees of the privatized network.

The simulcast was also a replacement of Solar Network News to RPN's news content, as a result of Solar Entertainment's decision to scrap the cable-only limitation of American Idol season 12 and allow the broadcast to be available to RPN (over-the-air) viewers (in which the original plan was to limit the AI via satellite broadcast to cable viewers while RPN will continue to air Network News at 6 PM).

On December 1, 2013, Solar News Channel switched its affiliation to RPN, making it a program at its own right.

CNN Philippines Nightly News was axed on February 12, 2016, as a part of the network's program restructuring to be replaced by an Evening edition of Newsroom.