There are corporate mergers and there are corporate mergers that cause the CEO to tell staff he goes home and “can still feel the tension,” which is the specific kind of merger that Paramount’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery has become for CNN, where the tension involves whether Bari Weiss, who gutted 60 Minutes at CBS and pushed out Scott Pelley, will be handed the keys to a second major news organization.
CNN CEO Mark Thompson told staff, per Raw Story’s reporting today, that he cannot escape the tension surrounding the deal even at home, adding: “I swear to God, I go home and try and relax and I can still feel the tension.” This is the CEO of one of the world’s most recognized news brands describing his situation at a moment when his network’s future depends on whether a private equity investor who praised Thompson’s leadership can outmaneuver the Trump allies who have publicly cheered David Ellison’s rise and attended a dinner where Trump reportedly held court for nearly an hour at Ellison’s invitation. The dinner was private. Trump’s interest in CNN’s editorial direction is not.
Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief of CBS News following the Paramount acquisition of that network and proceeded to gut “60 Minutes,” dismiss veteran correspondents, and ignite a public feud with Scott Pelley, who used his farewell broadcast to accuse her of “murdering” the program, which is the kind of exit interview that produces a very specific kind of transition atmosphere. Anderson Cooper, who left “60 Minutes” in May, has reportedly told colleagues he will not work under Weiss if she is handed CNN. Cooper is CNN’s most recognizable anchor. He is not bluffing.
Some Paramount insiders are reportedly urging caution before expanding Weiss’s reach to CNN, which is the sentence that means some Paramount insiders are aware that “cautioning” and “preventing” are not the same thing. The Justice Department approved the merger last month without a single divestiture condition, which means no regulator is standing between Ellison’s preferences and the editorial direction of the network where Abby Phillip corrects Scott Jennings every week.
Thompson’s leadership has been praised by private equity investor Gerry Cardinale. The deal is progressing. Cooper is watching.
When the CEO of CNN can’t relax at home and the anchor who left 60 Minutes over Bari Weiss says he won’t work under her at CNN, what exactly is the merger merging?
Sources
Raw Story: CNN braces for CBS-style chaos as boss admits he can’t escape ‘tension’
