Mark Thompson will continue his tenure as CEO of CNN following the completion of the $110 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal, which creates a new entity named Skydance, is scheduled to close this Tuesday.
David Ellison will serve as the CEO of the combined company, working alongside former Mattel executive Ynon Kreiz. The leadership team also includes Casey Bloys, who will oversee content for the streaming division, while Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg take charge of film studios.
George Cheeks will manage the television business, and Bari Weiss will retain her position as editor-in-chief of CBS News. As part of a legal settlement with 12 states, the new organization is required to establish an editorial independence board for its news operations.
In a memo to staff, Thompson expressed confidence that the new corporate structure will maintain support for the independent journalism standards traditionally upheld by CNN. The merger brings both CNN and CBS News under the unified control of Skydance.
