Mark Thompson will remain chief executive at CNN after Paramount sale

Mark Thompson on 15 May 2024 in New York City. Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Warner Bros DiscoveryView image in fullscreenMark Thompson on 15 May 2024 in New York City. Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Warner Bros DiscoveryCNNMark Thompson will remain chief executive at CNN after Paramount saleDecision by Paramount Skydance executive David Ellison was relief to employees who feared overhaul – and possibility of Bari Weiss taking over

Mark Thompson, who since 2023 has served as chair and chief executive of CNN after a storied career in British and American media, will retain his role even after Paramount Skydance takes control of the company, he announced in a memo to network staffers on Monday morning.

While Thompson wrote that the “specifics of how CNN will plug into and operate in the new company have yet to be finalized”, he offered some pledges about his role at the combined company, which will be led by David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance chief executive, after the company merges with CNN parent company Warner Bros Discovery. The deal is expected to formally close on Tuesday.

“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,” Thompson wrote. “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.”

The decision by Paramount Skydance leadership will bring relief to many CNN employees who feared a complete overhaul of the network. Some employees had also shared concerns that Ellison could install Bari Weiss, editor in chief of CBS News, atop the cable news network. (The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ellison had asked Thompson to stay on.)

“That sound you hear is a giant sigh of relief from halls of Techwood,” said a CNN producer, who was not authorized to comment, referring to the company’s Atlanta headquarters. That sentiment was shared by other CNN employees who spoke with the Guardian.

According to an announcement of the combined company’s leadership team, Weiss will also remain in her role as editor in chief of CBS News, despite some speculation about a potential change in her purview.

Thompson, 69, was brought on to take charge of CNN in 2023 after the tumultuous leadership of chief executive Chris Licht, who lacked network management experience and lasted just over a year. Thompson had previously served as director-general of the BBC from 2004 to 2012 and then as president and CEO of the New York Times from 2012 to 2020.

At CNN, Thompson has prioritized the network’s digital and streaming operations, as well as the creation of a new direct-to-consumer product called CNN All Access in October 2025. The CNN producer credited Thompson with “stabilizing” the business and helping to build its post-linear television future.

Thompson has also had his hands full with Donald Trump’s White House, which last month barred CNN – along with MS Now and Politico – from the building before a judge temporarily restored access.

A former longtime CNN producer said that Thompson’s presence would be reassuring because he is a known entity. “They know what he brings,” the person said.