CNN boss Mark Thompson is staying on in the David Ellison era. Read his memo to staffers.

Mark Thompson isn't going anywhere.

David Ellison is keeping CNN's top administrator in location as Paramount buys Warner Bros. Discovery, the news giant's genitor company.

Thompson, who's led CNN since October 2023, told staffers on Monday that he's staying at the network. His heading volition be chairman and editor-in-chief.

"I'm convinced that from David Ellison on down, Paramount Skydance guidance really does accept in news alongside amusement as a top strategic chance for our new company," Thompson stated in a memo obtained by Business Insider.

Thompson told workforce he has "real confidence" that Ellison volition "understand and volition completely assistance the regulation and custom of the benevolent of autonomous news that CNN has continually stood for."

Leadership at Ellison's new-look media giant has "seen our digital scheme and are as enthusiastic concerning it as we are," Thompson said.

CNN's top chief earlier told staffers not to assume that the network would merge alongside CBS News following Paramount completed its mega-deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.

"Don't jump to conclusions that we rotate into one alongside CBS News," CNN CEO Mark Thompson had told staffers at a September town hall, a individual acquainted alongside the gathering said.

The blockbuster Paramount-WBD deal volition put CNN and CBS News under one rooftop — alongside alongside two important movie studios, HBO, HBO Max, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and a slew of cable TV channels. Paramount's WBD acquisition is expected to near on Tuesday, weeks following it settled the lawsuits slowing downward the merger.

Ellison shook up CBS News by hiring Bari Weiss as the network's top publishing company final October.

Weiss, a erstwhile New York Times opinion publishing company who hadn't earlier worked in TV news, has critiqued the mainstream media and is known for her anti-woke views. She has faced accusations of editorial interference and governmental bias from erstwhile CBS News employees, which she has denied.

As part of the settlement, Paramount volition create an autonomous editorial commission that volition detect editorial principles at the two CNN and CBS News. It volition study to the blended entity's company commission through its chief compliance officer.

Otherwise, Paramount CEO David Ellison hasn't stated much concerning how CNN and CBS News volition run under average ownership. The media mogul has expressed involvement in construction a "scaled news service," although he hasn't publically stated specifics.

Read Thompson's complete memo to CNN workforce below:

Dear All,As you know, Paramount Skydance volition near its agreement to buy Warner Bros. Discovery tomorrow, and CNN volition have new owners. Later today, the business is announcing the anticipated guidance lineup of the business which is now called Skydance. You'll see my name on the catalog as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN. I'm penning to you now to explain what that means.The specifics of how CNN volition plug into and run in the new business have yet to be finalized — barely amazing stated that grave discussions could lone commencement following Paramount's anti-trust colony a few days ago. So I can't answer all inquiry today. Nonetheless there are a few crucial things I can say:First, I'm convinced that from David Ellison on down, Paramount Skydance guidance really does accept in news alongside amusement as a top strategic chance for our new company. They've seen our digital scheme and are as enthusiastic concerning it as we are.​And second, having now spoken to them at dimension on the topic, I have genuine confidence that they the two comprehend and volition completely assistance the regulation and custom of the benevolent of autonomous news that CNN has continually stood for. That's why I volition be foremost CNN into this new division as it becomes one of Skydance's suite of important media resources and earth brands, and foremost it as an autonomous Editor-in-Chief alongside the identical responsibilities and prerogatives that I have now.I cognize many of you have had trepidations concerning this moment. That's understandable — indeed, as I've hinted before, I've had the odd instant or two myself! But I desire to say that on the eve of the acquisition of CNN by Paramount Skydance, I discover myself in a extremely affirmative example of mind. I really do accept we'll be operating alongside a squad who don't fair have genuine imagination and genuine energy, but genuine values as well.We'll create certain that everyone gets particulars of how to observe the genuine initiate of the business tomorrow.More to come, and all the best,Mark