Skydance Keeps Mark Thompson, Bari Weiss in News Roles Ahead of $111 Billion Merger
Updated
Updated · Adweek · Oct 5
Skydance Keeps Mark Thompson, Bari Weiss in News Roles Ahead of $111 Billion Merger
3 articles · Updated · Adweek · Oct 5
Summary
Mark Thompson and Bari Weiss were named to Skydance’s CEO leadership team on Monday, with both staying atop CNN and CBS News as the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger is set to close Tuesday.
Thompson told CNN staff he won assurances from David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz that CNN would remain editorially independent, saying he will continue as an “independent editor-in-chief.”
The structure for CNN and CBS News inside the combined company is still unsettled, including how an editorial independence board tied to Paramount’s settlement with state attorneys general will coexist with both news units.
Beyond news, Skydance installed Casey Bloys, George Cheeks and JB Perrette in top content and business roles, while Ellison takes long-term strategy and Kreiz oversees day-to-day integration of the merged media group.
With $6 billion in cuts looming, which beloved franchises will survive the massive Skydance merger?
Will the unprecedented combination of HBO Max and Paramount+ create a streaming giant or an overpriced app?
The $110 Billion Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery Merger: Power Shifts, Debt Risks, and the New Streaming Wars
Overview
In October 2026, Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery completed a $110+ billion merger, forming Skydance Corp. under David Ellison’s leadership. The company faced immediate pressure to deliver cost savings, leading to major restructuring and layoffs. Financing relied on massive debt and significant investments from Larry Ellison and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, sparking political and regulatory concerns. After intense legal battles, a settlement required safeguards for news independence, film output, and worker protections. To compete with tech giants, Skydance Corp. plans to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming platform, aiming for scale but raising concerns about higher prices and fewer choices for consumers.