Paula Reid Departs CNN as Paramount-Warner Merger Nears Completion

Chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid will leave CNN when her contract ends in summer 2026, opting to join rival outlet MS NOW. She turned down a renewal, citing uncertainty over the pending Paramount-Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and its possible effect on CNN’s editorial direction.

New York Post

Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, cleared by the Justice Department, is slated to close in Q3 2026. The deal would place CBS News and CNN under common ownership. Bari Weiss, appointed CBS News editor-in-chief by Paramount, has already reshaped the division, firing 60 Minutes staff and drawing criticism for a perceived Trump-friendly approach. CNN staff fear a similar overhaul if Weiss oversees the network.

The Wrap

MS NOW’s spokesperson said the network does not comment on personnel matters but praised Reid as an exceptional reporter. Paramount CEO David Ellison affirmed that CNN’s editorial independence will be maintained. The Justice Department’s antitrust division found no competition concerns. CNN declined comment on Reid’s departure.

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Bari Weiss’s CBS overhaul—firing 60 Minutes producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Scott Pelley—has been labeled Trump-friendly. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper reportedly told colleagues he would not work for Weiss if she led the network. Reid is said to have voiced “discomfort with the takeover and the uncertainty it has cast over CNN’s future.”

The Independent

The acquisition value is reported as $111 billion by some outlets and $110 billion by others. Closure is cited as the third quarter of 2026 in some sources and as July 2026 in others. While several reports suggest Weiss may lead both CBS News and CNN, at least one source claims there is “no intention” for her to assume that role.

The Wrap

• “As a general matter of practice, we don’t comment on personnel matters. As everyone in Washington knows, Paula Reid is an exceptional reporter, and any news organization would be fortunate to showcase her journalism.” — MS NOW spokesperson

Deadline Hollywood

• “CNN is an incredible brand with an incredible team, and we absolutely believe in the independence that needs to be maintained for those incredible journalists, and we want to support that going forward,” — David Ellison, CEO, Paramount Skydance

The Independent

• “discomfort with the takeover and the uncertainty it has cast over CNN’s future,” — Paula Reid (as reported)

Daily Beast

• “The merger of Warner Bros and Paramount is not a done deal and remains under investigation by my office,” — Rob Bonta, California Attorney General

The Wrap

The merger is expected to close in Q3 2026, after which Paramount will decide if Bari Weiss will oversee CNN. Reid is slated to start at MS NOW later in 2026, joining Peter Alexander and Shauna Thomas. Ongoing regulatory reviews could delay the deal, and more exits may follow if staff see editorial shifts.

Daily Beast