Paramount Legal Chief Dismisses CNN Independence Concerns
TheGrill 2026: Makan Delrahim tells Sharon Waxman he's confident in the network under the Ellisons The post Paramount Legal Chief Dismisses CNN Independence Concerns appeared first on TheWrap .
Paramount's chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim, expressed confidence on Wednesday that CNN will maintain its editorial independence following the company's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by the Ellison family. Responding to inquiries from TheWrap founder and editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman at TheGrill, Delrahim confirmed his confidence in the network's future, despite questions surrounding its independence under the new owner.
The $110 billion deal will combine CNN and CBS News under David Ellison's control, along with Warner Bros., HBO, Paramount Pictures and streaming and cable assets. CNN and CBS News are set to come under the same corporate parent, with a five-member News Editorial Independence Board tasked with overseeing journalistic standards and monitoring the editorial independence of the two news organizations.
However, concerns remain about the board's independence, particularly as Paramount's board of directors will select its members. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have expressed ongoing concerns about CNN's future under Paramount, highlighting the editorial safeguards included in the settlement.
Delrahim, who previously led the Justice Department's Antitrust Division under President Donald Trump, admitted to being surprised by the political nature of the merger process.
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