CNN Employees Anxious About Upcoming Merger

Many employees at CNN are feeling anxious about the imminent merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, transforming their boss’s office into what some are calling a “psychiatrist’s couch.” Reports indicate that there’s a palpable tension among staff regarding the potential impact of the merger.

Paramount Skydance is in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN. Employees, especially those with left-leaning views, are particularly worried about the influence of Paramount President David Ellison, who has ties to Donald Trump. There’s a sense that his leadership might disrupt the current environment at CNN.

Ellison’s recent decision to bring in Bari Weiss to CBS News—someone known for trying to steer the station towards more balanced reporting—has added to these concerns. CNN staff fear a similar shift could occur under Ellison’s leadership, veering the network away from its current editorial stance.

Staff members are expressing unease regarding Ellison’s connections to Trump, especially considering his father, Larry Ellison, is a significant donor to the former president. These factors have prompted employees to voice their worries to CNN executive Amy Entelis.

According to reports, Entelis’s office, located on the 18th floor in Manhattan, has become a refuge for anchors and correspondents seeking to discuss their concerns about the merger’s fallout.

Many CNN officials are reportedly upset over rumors that Ellison might consider handing the struggling network over to Bari Weiss. Despite the speculation, CNN’s CEO Mark Thompson has assured that the network’s direction will remain stable unless Ellison demands otherwise—at which point Thompson would likely choose to resign.

Top anchor Anderson Cooper has also expressed his strong disapproval of Weiss, stating he would refuse to collaborate with her should she be appointed as head of the network.

Amidst these uncertainties, CNN continues to face challenges related to viewer retention, especially as competitors like Fox News prevail. For instance, CNN averaged just 580,000 total viewers during prime time earlier this year, significantly lower than Fox, which recorded a prime-time average audience of 2.72 million—almost five times higher than CNN.

Fox News has seen a substantial increase in viewership, with a reported growth of 14% in prime time compared to the previous year, while CNN’s numbers remain stagnant.