CNN chief Mark Thompson will stay in his role when Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closes this week, according to a memo he sent to staff. Thompson said he believes the combined company will support the independent journalism CNN has long stood for, as reported by The New York Times.
The merged entity, to be called Skydance, will be led by Paramount CEO David Ellison alongside former Mattel head Ynon Kreiz. The leadership announcement also keeps Casey Bloys as chief content officer of the streaming business, puts Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg in charge of film studios, and gives George Cheeks oversight of TV operations. Bari Weiss, appointed CBS News editor-in-chief last year, will remain in that role despite falling ratings.
CNN and CBS News will now sit under the same corporate roof, which had fueled speculation about CNN’s future. As part of a settlement with 12 states, Skydance must adopt a news editorial independence board, a structural safeguard for the combined newsrooms. The acquisition is expected to close on Tuesday.