By Ted Johnson
Mark Thompson will remain at CNN after Skydance closes its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The announcement on Monday ends, for now, speculation about who will run the network, given that Skydance also is the parent of CBS News.
Thompson joined CNN in 2023.
“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,” Thompson said of the company’s new owners., in a memo to staffers. “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.”
Dear All,
As you know, Paramount Skydance will close its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery tomorrow, and CNN will have new owners. Later today, the company is announcing the anticipated leadership lineup of the company which is now called Skydance. You’ll see my name on the list as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN. I’m writing to you now to explain what that means.
The specifics of how CNN will plug into and operate in the new company have yet to be finalized – hardly surprising given that serious discussions could only begin after Paramount’s anti-trust settlement a few days ago. So I can’t answer every question today. Nonetheless there are a few important things I can say:
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. 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.
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! 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.
We’ll make sure that everyone gets details of how to watch the actual launch of the company tomorrow.
More to come, and all the best,
Mark
