CNN faces renewed uncertainty about its future following a major corporate shakeup. On Thursday, Netflix unexpectedly withdrew from the bidding process for Warner Bros. Discovery, effectively clearing the path for David Ellison, Chairman of Paramount Skydance and a tech industry heir, to take control of the news network. This development has sparked significant anxiety within CNN's newsroom.
Mr. Ellison's specific intentions for CNN remain unclear. However, the news prompted CNN's CEO, Mark Thompson, to issue an internal memo to staff shortly after Netflix's withdrawal. "While there has been much speculation throughout this process, I advise against jumping to conclusions about the future until we have more information," Thompson wrote. In the email, titled "Corporate Update," he urged journalists to focus on covering a busy news year, including the upcoming midterm elections and other unforeseen events.
Despite this guidance, reporters and producers at CNN have expressed deep concerns that the editorial independence they pride themselves on could be compromised under Paramount's ownership. Mr. Ellison maintains a friendly relationship with former President Donald Trump, a frequent critic of CNN. Notably, Paramount paid $16 million last year to settle a lawsuit Trump filed against "60 Minutes," a settlement that preceded the Trump administration's approval of Ellison's acquisition of the company. This week, Ellison attended the State of the Union address as a guest of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
Since taking over CBS News, Ellison has appointed Kenneth R. Weinstein, a seasoned conservative policy figure with no prior news management experience, as the news division's ombudsman. He also selected Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief, elevating a commentator known for her long-standing criticism of mainstream media institutions. Ms. Weiss has questioned veteran CBS reporters about perceived liberal bias and faced accusations of political interference after delaying a "60 Minutes" segment critical of the Trump administration. Weiss maintains her independence, and some conservatives have praised these changes.
It is uncertain whether Ms. Weiss would have a role at CNN if Ellison's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is completed. A logical outcome, however, could be the consolidation of newsgathering operations between CBS and CNN.
Former President Trump's reaction to a CNN under Ellison's control is unpredictable. In October, he referred to Larry and David Ellison as "my friends" who would "do the right thing" at CBS. Yet, weeks later, he claimed "60 Minutes" treated him "worse than ever" following the acquisition.
In December, when Netflix appeared poised to win the bid for Warner, there was a sense of relief inside CNN. Netflix had planned to exclude CNN from the assets it would acquire, which suggested the network would not need to make concessions to appease the Trump administration. Under that scenario, Thompson would have remained in charge of CNN, with Warner Bros. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels overseeing a new spun-off entity containing the network.
Ellison, however, had made it clear he wanted to include CNN in any deal.
Anderson Cooper, CNN's prime-time anchor who has also been a "60 Minutes" correspondent for nearly two decades, recently announced he would not renew his contract with the CBS Sunday program, a move that surprised Paramount. Mr. Cooper may soon find himself reporting to Paramount once again.
On Thursday evening, Ms. Weiss attended an event hosted by The Free Press, an independent website she co-founded and sold to Mr. Ellison last year. She posted photos from the event on X with the caption, "There's nowhere else I'd rather be," before playfully adding, "But I hear there might be some news?"
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