Paula Reed: Why are top CNN stars leaving the network? Everything we knew before the Paramount acquisition
CNN chief legal correspondent Paula Reid is reportedly preparing to leave the network amid expectations Paramount get.
Her departure coincided with Paramount,parent company cbsGearing up to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery Channel in a massive $111 billion deal that is reportedly causing some uncertainty CNN employees about the future of the web.
The 43-year-old journalist, whose contract is set to expire this summer, rejected a lucrative extension offer from network executives and said she planned to leave, media industry newsletter Status reported. It’s unclear whether she has been offered another position.
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Paula Reed’s reporting and departure from the network
According to “Variety” sources, Reed had the opportunity to re-sign, but chose to leave due to the uncertainty of the merger.
legal correspondent at CNN Previously worked at CBS News and has been working in programming since joining the network in 2021. She has covered the Supreme Court as well as federal and state investigations involving high-profile officials such as President Donald Trump.
Everything we know about the Paramount acquisition
Last month, the Justice Department’s antitrust division approved Paramount Skydance Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., saying the deal did not pose a competitive threat to the streaming, traditional TV or movie industries.
Analysts expect the deal to go ahead smoothly, attributing it to Paramount’s political stance. CEO David Ellison and his father, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, both have ties to Trump.
Assistant Attorney General Omid Asefi said political considerations would not influence the Justice Department’s decision, while Paramount insisted the acquisition did not raise any antitrust issues. Additionally, Paramount claims the merger will increase competition with Disney and Netflix, helping maintain competitive pricing.
California, New York and several other states are preparing to file lawsuits aimed at blocking the Paramount deal, Reuters reported citing sources.
The merger would result in CBS and CNN being owned by the same entity, causing concern among some CNN employees, especially given the controversial tenure of CBS News editor Barry Weiss.
Weiss, who lacked any previous broadcast experience, established her “anti-woke” media platform The Free Press in 2021, which was subsequently acquired by Paramount for approximately $150 million in cash and stock. The acquisition follows David Ellison, whose company bought Paramount Global for $8 billion last year, naming her to lead CBS News.
Since taking on the role, Weiss has fired “60 Minutes” executive producer Tanya Simone and reporters Cecilia Vega and Charlene Alfonsi. She subsequently named technology reporter Nick Bilton as executive producer and terminated his employment after disagreements with veteran reporter Scott Pelley.
Critics also accused her of being overly supportive of Trump, and her appointment led to some producers resigning for ideological reasons.
In addition, according to the New York Times, well-known CNN anchor Anderson Cooper told colleagues that he was unwilling to cooperate with Weis.
