Paramount CEO Ellison reportedly asks CNN chief Thompson to stay after Warner Bros deal
PSKY•Paramount CEO David Ellison has reportedly asked CNN chief Mark Thompson to stay after Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, but the two have not agreed on contract terms.
1. Talks over a new contract
Ellison and Thompson have held talks in recent weeks about a new contract, a source familiar with the matter said. Thompson wants guarantees of wide control over CNN’s journalism, and editorial independence is a priority for him.
2. Newsroom plans unresolved
Paramount executives are still deciding how CNN and CBS News will work together after the deal closes. CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss is not expected to be involved with CNN, the source said.
3. Settlement sets safeguards
A U.S. judge entered an order allowing Paramount to close its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. Under a settlement with a California-led group of 12 states, the combined company must establish an independent News Editorial Independence Board to safeguard editorial autonomy and fact-based reporting standards at CBS News and CNN.
