Mark Thompson will remain chair and chief executive of CNN after Paramount Skydance takes control of the company, he announced in a memo to network staffers on Monday morning. Thompson, who has served in the role since 2023, made the announcement as the merger between Paramount Skydance and CNN parent company Warner Bros Discovery is expected to formally close on Tuesday.
Thompson's commitments to staff
In his memo, Thompson acknowledged that the specifics of how CNN will integrate into the new company have yet to be finalized, but he offered pledges about his role. The combined company will be led by David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance chief executive.
“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,” Thompson wrote. “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.”
Relief among CNN employees
The decision by Paramount Skydance leadership brings relief to many CNN employees who feared a complete overhaul of the network. Some employees had also shared concerns that Ellison could install Bari Weiss, editor in chief of CBS News, atop the cable news network. The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ellison had asked Thompson to stay on.
“That sound you hear is a giant sigh of relief from halls of Techwood,” said a CNN producer, who was not authorized to comment, referring to the company’s Atlanta headquarters. That sentiment was shared by other CNN employees who spoke with the Guardian.
According to an announcement of the combined company’s leadership team, Weiss will also remain in her role as editor in chief of CBS News, despite speculation about a potential change in her purview.
Thompson's tenure and challenges
Thompson, 69, was brought on to take charge of CNN in 2023 after the tumultuous leadership of chief executive Chris Licht, who lacked network management experience and lasted just over a year. Thompson previously served as director-general of the BBC from 2004 to 2012 and as president and CEO of the New York Times from 2012 to 2020.
At CNN, Thompson has prioritized the network’s digital and streaming operations, as well as the creation of a new direct-to-consumer product called CNN All Access in October 2025. The CNN producer credited Thompson with “stabilizing” the business and helping to build its post-linear television future. Thompson has also dealt with Donald Trump’s White House, which last month barred CNN – along with MSNBC and Politico – from the building before a judge temporarily restored access.
A former longtime CNN producer said that Thompson’s presence will be reassuring because he is a known entity. “They know what he brings,” the person said.
Integration and editorial independence
When Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery closes on Tuesday, after the settlement of lawsuits aimed at blocking the deal, the company will begin integrating the various media assets it has acquired. It is unclear if, when or how CNN and CBS News will be merged, though they will share a parent company. The two networks have different corporate structures and serve different audiences.
At an industry conference on 30 September, Paramount’s chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim, noted those distinctions. “CBS News is a handful of hours of programming,” he reportedly said. “CNN is 24-7. Just completely different markets.”
While both CBS News and CNN have large American audiences, CNN has a much larger international footprint, and there has been speculation that its foreign team could take precedence if the companies are merged. There is also the expectation of widespread layoffs across the entire company, including at CBS News and CNN, as part of an effort to slash costs. Concerns have also been raised about whether the Ellison family, which controls a large chunk of American media and entertainment assets, could move CNN in a more conservative direction, a fear that Ellison himself has dismissed.
As part of a settlement reached between Paramount and a coalition of 12 state attorneys general last month who sued to block the deal, the company has agreed to create a five-person news editorial independence board within 180 days of closing the deal. The board will “establish guiding editorial and journalism principles for the combined entity’s news channels” and will ensure those principles are adhered to. But some employees at CNN and CBS News have dismissed the planned board, fearing it will lack teeth.
Thompson hinted at the uncertainty surrounding the merger in his memo. “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!” he said. “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.” Thompson told CNN employees that he would have more details to share on Tuesday.
