For months, skeptics of Paramount’s $111 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery have wondered how much David Ellison, the tech scion in charge of the combined company, might want to change CNN.

As it turns out: not much. For now, at least.

Mr. Ellison is working out a deal to keep Mark Thompson, CNN’s current chief executive, in place as the network’s top leader for at least the next year, according to two people with knowledge of the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details were not yet finalized.

Under the plan taking shape, Bari Weiss, the contrarian critic of mainstream media that Mr. Ellison picked to run CBS News, would remain in her current role as the deal closed. For the time being, she is not expected to take on editorial or operational oversight of CNN, according to one of those people and another person familiar with the negotiations.

Ms. Weiss retains the support of the Ellison family, and her role could eventually change, the two people added.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/business/media/cnn-paramount-david-ellison.html