Potential CNN Takeover by Bari Weiss Triggers Journalist Exodus

Industry publication Variety has reported that a pending merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance could place Bari Weiss—currently editor-in-chief of CBS News—in a joint leadership role over CNN’s newsroom, possibly alongside current CNN news chief Mark Thompson. The same report notes that legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid has already announced her intent to leave CNN, and that other journalists, including Anderson Cooper, are rumored to be considering exits. CBS News veteran Scott Pelley was dismissed on June 2 after allegedly accusing Weiss of “murdering” *60 Minutes* during a staff meeting; he received a standing ovation from colleagues before his departure.

The Advocate

Weiss, described as a center-right but openly queer journalist, assumed the CBS News helm in October 2025. Her tenure has been marked by accusations of editorial interference, prompting the departures of high-profile staff such as Cooper and the firing of longtime *60 Minutes* correspondent Scott Pelley. The Advocate links the current uncertainty to earlier CNN leadership under CEO David Zaslav, whose strategy to attract former Fox News viewers culminated in the firing of Don Lemon over remarks about Republican candidate Nikki Haley.

The Advocate

Sources cited by Variety warn that Weiss’s limited breaking-news experience could jeopardize CNN’s global, multiplatform operation. One commentator warned that “people you actually want are not going to make a leap of faith to join when it’s too noisy, it’s too messy.” Additional concerns focus on potential recruiting challenges and the risk of “chipping away at your core audience,” which could “hurt the business.”

The Advocate

• “CNN is a very complex asset. It is global, multiplatform. There are cameras in every country. It has a huge army of talent,” — Variety source

The Advocate

• “If you chip away at your core audience through machinations, you could really hurt the business.” — Variety source

The Advocate

• “People you actually want are not going to make a leap of faith to join when it’s too noisy, it’s too messy,” — unnamed source

The Advocate

The merger discussion remains speculative, and no official statements from Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Skydance, CNN, or Weiss have been released. The reported staff exits suggest that any leadership transition could face immediate talent-retention hurdles.

The Advocate