Paramount Skydance and CNN chief Mark Thompson are in the “early stages” of discussions that could keep him as the leader of the news giant, according to a person familiar with the matter, a sign that the company is likely to keep CBS News and CNN apart initially as it navigates its purchase of Warner Bros. CNN declined to make executives available for comment. Paramount could not be reached for immediate comment.
Thompson’s fate remains unclear. He has called for CNN to operate without interference in its editorial mission. Paramount has agreed to set up a board to keep tabs on the independence of its news properties as part of its recent settlement with a set of state attorneys general who wanted to block its deal.
Thompson’s current contract is believed to run out in 2027. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on the talks between Paramount and the executive. The news could bring some relief to staffers at CNN, who have been worried about the fate of the news division under Paramount.
Staffers have wondered about Paramount CEO David Ellison’s commitment to credible newsgathering given recent scrutiny of the executive he installed at CBS News, Bari Weiss. They are also concerned about the direction Paramount may see for CNN’s new streaming service. CNN’s progress with digital audiences has been slowed by a bevy of changes in the company’s corporate direction in recent years.
Thompson last week expressed a desire to stay in the role. Even so, he also confided he has no knowledge of how Paramount Skydance wanted to proceed once it completes its acquisition of Warner Bros. During his tenure, Thompson has focused on getting CNN content in front of younger viewers and digital audiences.
CNN has been testing new formats with its “CNN All Access” subscription service, and has seen up and coming personnel like Abby Phillip and Harry Enten gain some traction. Discovery projected in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year that CNN will generate $600 million in profit in 2026 on $1.8 billion in revenue.
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