Paramount CEO David Ellison wants CEO Mark Thompson to remain at CNN after the Warner Bros Discovery deal closes, a move that would settle at least some of the speculation over the future of the network under its incoming new owners.
Talks between Ellison and Thompson are said to be in their early stages, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Ellison’s plans to retain Thompson, who was tapped to lead the network in 2023. Since then, he has sought to integrate the linear and digital operations while launching CNN’s All Access subscription and streaming service.
Under Thompson, CNN also has continued to aggressively report on the Trump administration, while embarking on a lawsuit against the president after he banned the network and two other outlets from the White House grounds. The network also has defended its reporters in the face of attacks by the president, including its chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins.
Thompson was president and CEO of the New York Times Company from 2012-20, after serving as director-general of the BBC for eight years.
The Journal also reported that Bari Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News, is not expected to have a role in CNN. There has been speculation among current and former staffers at the network that Weiss could be given additional responsibilities after the deal close, as CBS News and CNN will become sister networks.
According to a financial filing earlier this year, CNN was expected to generate $1.8 billion in revenue for the 2026 fiscal year and $600 million in profit. The network was estimated to reach $2.2 billion in revenue in 2030, with $700 million in profit.
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