Mark Thompson will remain at CNN as Chairman and Editor-in Chief for CNN Worldwide after Skydance closes its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The announcement Monday ends, for now, speculation about who will run the network, given that Skydance also is the parent of CBS News.
Thompson, who joined CNN in 2023, will have a slightly different title, this time as chairman and editor in chief, after he was brought in as chairman and CEO of the news organization by Warner Bros. Discovery. Since then, he has tried to more fully integrate the linear and digital newsrooms, while launching the network’s latest venture into subscription streaming, All Access. Unlike previous efforts, All Access offers nearly identical streams of the linear network lineup.
His continuation at the network is likely a relief to staffers, with months of anxieties that the network would combine with CBS News. Skydance CEO David Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, is a major financier of the company’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, and there have additional worries that his close ties to Donald Trump would influence CNN coverage or would mean future changes. Makan Delrahim, the chief legal officer of Skydance, said at a Politico conference in August that when it came to CNN, Ellison “wanted to bring it back to news,” raising more questions about plans for the network.
But as part of its settlement of an antitrust lawsuit brought by state attorneys general, Skydance-Paramount agreed to set up an editorial independence board to oversee CNN and CBS News.
There also had been speculation that Bari Weiss, who serves as editor in chief of CBS News, would be given additional oversight over CNN. There was no announcement made about an additional role for Weiss when Skydance revealed its senior executive structure Monday. Skydance-Paramount acquired Weiss’ center-right site The Free Press when she joined the network, and she has remained as editor of that outlet as well.
“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 said of the company’s new owners in a memo to staffers. “That’s why I will be leading CNN into this new chapter as it becomes one of Skydance’s suite of major media assets and global brands, and leading it as an independent Editor-in-Chief with the same responsibilities and prerogatives that I have now.”
Thompson previously was CEO of The New York Times Co. and director general of the BBC. He had already indicated that he wanted to stay at CNN after the merger closed, scheduled for Tuesday, and last week sources confirmed that Ellison was in talks with him to remain.
Thompson wrote in his memo, “I really do believe we’ll be working alongside a team who don’t just have real vision and real energy, but real values as well.”
He also addressed the anxieties about the network’s future, writing that “I know many of you have had trepidations about this moment. That’s understandable – indeed, as I’ve hinted before, I’ve had the odd moment or two myself!”
What’s still unclear is whether CNN will be in for a round of cost-cutting and perhaps layoffs following the merger’s close, as was the case with CBS News after Skydance acquired Paramount last year.
Thompson wrote to staffers, “The specifics of how CNN will plug into and operate in the new company have yet to be finalized – hardly surprising given that serious discussions could only begin after Paramount’s anti-trust settlement a few days ago.”
Read Thompson’s memo in full below.
Dear All,
As you know, Paramount Skydance will close its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery tomorrow, and CNN will have new owners. Later today, the company is announcing the anticipated leadership lineup of the company which is now called Skydance. You’ll see my name on the list as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN. I’m writing to you now to explain what that means.
The specifics of how CNN will plug into and operate in the new company have yet to be finalized – hardly surprising given that serious discussions could only begin after Paramount’s anti-trust settlement a few days ago. So I can’t answer every question today. Nonetheless there are a few important things I can say:
First, I’m convinced that from David Ellison on down, Paramount Skydance leadership really does believe in news alongside entertainment as a top strategic opportunity for our new company. They’ve seen our digital strategy and are as excited about it as we are.
And second, 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. That’s why I will be leading CNN into this new chapter as it becomes one of Skydance’s suite of major media assets and global brands, and leading it as an independent Editor-in-Chief with the same responsibilities and prerogatives that I have now.
I know many of you have had trepidations about this moment. That’s understandable – indeed, as I’ve hinted before, I’ve had the odd moment or two myself! But I want to say that on the eve of the acquisition of CNN by Paramount Skydance, I find myself in a very positive frame of mind. I really do believe we’ll be working alongside a team who don’t just have real vision and real energy, but real values as well.
We’ll make sure that everyone gets details of how to watch the actual launch of the company tomorrow.More to come, and all the best,
Mark
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