Employees at CNN are reportedly feeling anxious about the potential impact of the upcoming merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros., which is the parent company of the news network.
A report by Variety indicated that CNN had shown signs of improvement in terms of profitability and viewership in recent years. However, there are concerns that this progress could be jeopardized following the merger.
One staff member shared that the atmosphere at CNN resembles “a funeral,” reflecting the general unease within the offices.
CNN’s CEO, Mark Thompson, was vague about the implications of the merger during a staff meeting on Monday, indicating that more information would be shared soon.
“In the coming days, you’ll learn more about what this means for CNN, including the closing date,” he stated.
Much of the apprehension stems from changes experienced at CBS News after Paramount Skydance appointed Bari Weiss to lead operations. Weiss’s previous affiliations have raised eyebrows, particularly among left-leaning critics who accuse her of having favorable ties to the Trump administration.
There is a prevalent belief among CNN staff that Paramount might enforce a similar ideological shift at CNN.
“It would be a massive loss and disruption to change leadership again, especially now that we are finally in the process of transforming the business,” remarked a CNN employee to Variety.
Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta also voiced his concerns, describing the merger as detrimental to the public. On social media, he said, “This acquisition is bad news for America. Paramount should not control both CBS News and CNN. If [Larry and David Ellison] give assurances that they won’t interfere with CNN, don’t trust that. Once they own it, they’ll cater to Trump’s agenda.”
Others within the network are predicting that layoffs may be on the horizon for CNN employees.
“A more significant threat to CNN is not Donald Trump; it’s Paramount, which has just acquired CNN,” tweeted conservative show host Steve Gruber. “Larry Ellison and his team are a bigger worry because layoffs are imminent.”
In response to a lawsuit filed in July, a Paramount spokesperson stated, “We have consistently communicated that neither David nor Larry Ellison made any commitments to any governmental body regarding the future of CNN or any other news outlet, apart from the intention to provide accurate journalism.”
