CNN Staffers Divided Amidst Warner Bros. Discovery Merger with Paramount

A new reality is dawning for CNN employees as Paramount's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) progresses, signaling a significant shift in ownership for the news network. While some staffers are resigned to the change, others remain wary of its implications.

Paramount's $111 billion bid to acquire WBD recently cleared a major hurdle when a settlement was reached with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general, who had filed an antitrust lawsuit to block the merger. This settlement, negotiated ahead of a March 2027 trial date, paves the way for Paramount CEO David Ellison to assume control of WBD's assets, including CNN and CBS News. A key component of the settlement includes the establishment of an independent editorial board to oversee both news organizations.

Internal sentiment within CNN appears divided. "I think there are fewer people internally opposed to the merger than there used to be," one CNN staffer told Fox News Digital, adding, "People internally just want direction." However, another staffer countered, "Nothing has changed about anyone's views at CNN." This individual suggested that any perception of acceptance stems from a prolonged period of uncertainty rather than a genuine shift in mindset.

Significant questions loom over CNN's future, including potential company-wide layoffs and changes in leadership. The role of current CNN CEO Mark Thompson is uncertain, and there are reports that Ellison might appoint Bari Weiss, his chosen editor-in-chief of CBS News, to a new role overseeing both news operations. "I don’t know who will run CNN," the second staffer stated. "Ellison will have a lot of pressure to make that decision... It’s better for his business to make a clean, strong decision and let everybody know."

While the impending merger brings clarity regarding the network's ownership, some CNN employees anticipate substantial staff reductions. "CNN will be diminished," one staffer commented, acknowledging that this decline is already occurring across legacy media.

Concerns among liberal critics have focused on the potential for CNN's coverage to be influenced by Ellison's perceived ties to former President Donald Trump and the role Weiss might play. Ellison has previously sought to allay these fears, assuring that CNN would maintain editorial independence. In an essay published in The New York Times, Ellison stated, "I do not aspire to lead these companies to bend their newsrooms to my views. I believe that news should be based on facts and truth."

He further emphasized that "Great news organizations like CNN and CBS News are here to tell it straight down the middle." Representatives for CNN and Paramount declined to comment on the ongoing developments.