Paramount CEO David Ellison wants Mark Thompson to remain in charge of CNN after the Warner Bros Discovery deal closes, potentially resolving one of the biggest leadership questions surrounding the network’s incoming ownership.
Discussions between Ellison and Thompson are still in their early stages, according to people familiar with the matter. No final arrangement has been confirmed, but Ellison’s intention to retain the CNN chief would provide a measure of continuity as CNN and CBS News prepare to become sister networks.
Thompson was chosen to lead CNN in 2023. Since taking the job, he has worked to bring the network’s linear and digital businesses more closely together while introducing CNN’s All Access subscription and streaming service.
Thompson’s Tenure Has Included a White House Fight
CNN has also maintained aggressive coverage of the Trump administration under Thompson. The network filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump after CNN and two other outlets were barred from the White House grounds.
CNN has continued to defend its journalists amid criticism from Trump, including attacks directed at chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. The network was also removed again as the television pooler scheduled to travel with the president.
The White House dispute has intensified the scrutiny surrounding CNN at a moment when its corporate future is changing. Keeping Thompson in place would settle at least part of the speculation about how the network will be managed once the Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery transaction is complete.
Bari Weiss Not Expected to Take a CNN Role
The potential leadership structure also addresses questions involving Bari Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News. Weiss is not expected to receive a role at CNN after the deal closes.
That expectation runs counter to speculation among some current and former CNN staffers that Weiss could be handed additional responsibilities once CBS News and CNN are part of the same corporate organization. For now, Ellison’s preference appears to be keeping Thompson at the top of CNN rather than placing the network under Weiss’ remit.
The distinction is significant because the merger will bring the two news operations into the same ownership structure while preserving, based on the plans currently described, separate leadership for CNN.
CNN’s Financial Projections
CNN’s business outlook also underscores the stakes surrounding its leadership. A financial filing earlier this year projected that the network would generate $1.8 billion in revenue during the 2026 fiscal year, along with $600 million in profit.
Those estimates were expected to rise by 2030, when CNN was projected to reach $2.2 billion in revenue and $700 million in profit.
Thompson’s efforts to combine CNN’s traditional television operations with its digital strategy, including the launch of All Access, are unfolding alongside those longer-term financial expectations. His possible continuation as CEO would allow that work to proceed under the executive who began overseeing it in 2023.
What Happens Next?
Ellison and Thompson’s talks remain preliminary, leaving the final terms of any agreement unresolved. The leadership plan would take effect after the Warner Bros Discovery deal closes, although no closing date was provided.
If Thompson stays, CNN would enter its next ownership chapter with its current chief executive still in place. Weiss, meanwhile, is not expected to take on responsibilities at the network despite the coming corporate connection between CNN and CBS News.