Ellison insists CNN will remain independent, just like CBS
After merging Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, Skydance CEO David Ellison assures skeptics that CNN will remain independent.
CNN's new owner, Skydance CEO David Ellison, reiterated on CNBC's Squawk Box that the network will maintain its independence, mirroring CBS's stance. The merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. took place during Ellison's tenure at Warner Bros. Discovery, which he secured with a $16 million payment to the Trump administration. He installed Bari Weiss, an unqualified ideologue, as an editorial overseer, a move viewed as placating the Trump administration's desires.
Ellison promised stability at CNN, citing the company's recent challenges and the ongoing work of current CEO Mark Thompson, whom he praised for his performance. Ellison affirmed his belief in editorial independence across CNN, insisting corporate interests would not interfere with the news organization's reporting. He stated that the establishment of a five-member editorial oversight board, aimed at protecting CNN and CBS from owner influence, had been agreed upon in a settlement with 12 state attorneys general.
However, no specifics on the board's composition or function have been released, with one CBS staff member describing the plan as "utter garbage."
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