A major merger involving Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, which would bring CNN under the control of David Ellison, is seen as inevitable by CNN staffers despite a recent legal setback.

According to a CNN insider speaking to Fox News Digital, the delay caused by a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) granted by a federal judge last week has done little to improve morale within the network, which has experienced multiple leadership changes in recent years. The TRO blocks the companies from closing the deal until at least August 17, 2026.

Ellison’s Paramount aims to build a historic media empire by acquiring Warner Bros. The merger has received approval from both the European Union and the U.S. Justice Department. However, the final obstacle remains an antitrust lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

The insider described the internal sentiment as grim, stating, "Keep in mind the current situation is grim, so people see it as a matter of bad or worse."

From 2013 to early 2022, then-CEO Jeff Zucker reshaped CNN to be adversarial toward President Donald Trump, especially during his first term. Discovery CEO David Zaslav appointed Chris Licht, formerly a top producer for MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and "CBS This Morning," and executive producer of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," as Zucker's successor.

Reports indicate that Thompson, a CNN executive, has insisted he would not share oversight of CNN with another executive. This follows reports that Bari Weiss, David Ellison's handpicked editor-in-chief of CBS News, would assume an oversight role at CNN after the merger.

Additionally, CNN's star international correspondent Clarissa Ward declined a long-term contract extension, opting instead for a one-year deal to "evaluate the post-merger landscape and whether Weiss is given editorial oversight over CNN," according to Status.

Sources