David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance will keep Mark Thompson at the helm of CNN after taking control of the network, backing its leadership as the news organisation comes under intensifying attack from Donald Trump. Thompson would remain chair and editor-in-chief of CNN following Paramount’s $111bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, the company said on Monday, after months of speculation over whether the new owner would push the network’s coverage to the right. The decision comes a day before Ellison’s deal, which will bring together two of Hollywood’s most storied studios, is expected to close.
In a memo to CNN staff on Monday seen by the FT, Thompson acknowledged there had been “trepidations” about the takeover by Ellison — including on his own part. But Thompson said conversations with Ellison and his team had reassured him about the network’s editorial independence. “Having now spoken to them at length on the topic, I have real confidence that they both understand and will fully support the principle and practice of the kind of independent news that CNN has always stood for,” Thompson wrote. He said he would continue to run CNN as an “independent Editor-in-Chief with the same responsibilities and prerogatives that I have now”.
Ellison’s looming takeover fuelled concerns inside CNN over the network’s future, particularly given the new owner’s ties to Trump and his appointment of “anti-woke” journalist Bari Weiss to run CBS News last year. Trump and his administration have repeatedly attacked CNN, one of his longstanding media antagonists, while suggesting that the Ellisons could bring changes to the network. Trump in July told anchor Jake Tapper that “we’re trying to have CNN go on a normal path, and we’ll do that”. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth had similarly said in March, “the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better”.
Trump’s administration last month banned CNN and several other news organisations from the White House, a big escalation of his war on the media. A federal judge temporarily lifted the ban, and the sides are now battling in court. CNN’s future has become one of the most politically sensitive questions surrounding Ellison’s acquisition of WBD. Trump has repeatedly weighed in publicly on CNN and its ownership, while journalists at the network have worried that Weiss could ultimately be given influence over CNN.
Instead, Ellison has for now kept the two news organisations under separate editorial leadership. Paramount on Monday named Thompson and Weiss separately to its new “News Executive Leadership Team”, with Thompson remaining editor-in-chief of CNN and Weiss retaining her role at CBS News.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing