Paula Reed, CNN’s chief legal correspondent, has chosen to leave the network instead of staying on amidst the uncertainty surrounding David Ellison’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Reid, a notable figure in CNN’s legal reporting, informed the management last week about her decision not to renew her contract, which is set to expire this summer. This comes despite receiving a signing bonus and what has been described as a generous renewal offer.
She raised concerns to CNN executives about the potential implications of Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, particularly regarding the network’s future under Ellison’s leadership.
The 43-year-old journalist felt there was too much uncertainty tied to the merger, which contributed to her decision to depart CNN.
Before her tenure at CNN in 2021, she spent nearly a decade at CBS News, where she reported on the Justice Department and served as a White House correspondent.
Sources indicated that Reid had shared her worries about the significant changes at CBS News that occurred after Ellison took charge of Paramount Skydance.
CNN’s leadership reportedly made a significant effort to keep Reid at the network, but were themselves in the dark about the future leadership structure and couldn’t provide assurances regarding operations after the merger.
Reid is the first major full-time journalist at CNN to resign over concerns about the network’s future under Ellison.
Notably, technology journalist Kara Swisher has also expressed her intention to stop contributing to CNN following the merger, while some other journalists are quietly discussing their own future at the network.
There’s still much speculation about who will lead CNN following the merger’s completion.
Previous reports suggested a long-term plan for CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss to oversee editorial operations for both CBS News and CNN. However, it remains unclear if this plan will proceed in light of recent upheavals at CBS.
According to The New York Times, Ellison and his team are contemplating appointing Weiss to head CNN, working alongside a seasoned TV executive to manage the operational and financial sides of the news organization.
Additionally, CNN star Anderson Cooper has reportedly voiced to colleagues his reluctance to work under Weiss if she takes the lead at the network.
CNN CEO Mark Thompson has apparently made it clear to Paramount officials that he does not intend to share oversight of CNN with anyone else. Recently, anchor Jake Tapper also held a private meeting with Ellison in Los Angeles.
The past few months at CBS News have been marked by significant turbulence since Weiss became editor-in-chief, with multiple high-profile firings impacting the network, including 60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Simon and veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after a public dispute with Weiss.
Neither CNN nor Paramount has commented on the matter, and attempts to reach Reid for her thoughts have been made.
