News Broadcasting
Paramount asks CNN chief Mark Thompson to stay after Warner Bros Discovery deal
David Ellison seeks new contract for Thompson as Paramount weighs CNN-CBS News integration
NEW DELHI: Paramount CEO David Ellison has asked Mark Thompson to remain at the helm of CNN following Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, according to a Reuters report.
Ellison and Thompson have held talks in recent weeks over a new contract that would allow Thompson to continue leading CNN, although the two sides have yet to agree on terms, the report said, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
A key issue for Thompson is editorial independence. According to the source, the CNN chief wants guarantees that he will retain broad control over the network’s journalism after the ownership change.
The discussions come as Paramount works out how CNN and CBS News will operate together once the Warner Bros Discovery deal closes. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is not expected to have a role at CNN following the transaction, the source added.
Paramount declined to comment, while Warner Bros Discovery did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ellison had asked Thompson to stay.
A US judge has cleared the way for Paramount to complete its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, ending a months-long regulatory and legal delay. The transaction will bring CNN and CBS News under the same ownership.
The approval followed a September 21 settlement between Paramount and a California-led group of 12 US states that had challenged the deal, arguing that the merger could create a media company with greater power over film and television pricing.
As part of the settlement, the combined company will establish an independent News Editorial Independence Board. The board is intended to protect editorial autonomy and fact-based reporting standards at both CNN and CBS News.
For Thompson, the negotiations therefore come at a crucial point as CNN prepares to operate within a significantly larger media group, with editorial independence emerging as a central issue in the network’s post-merger structure.
