Imagine you’re finally settling into a new job when your boss mentions they might sell the company to your biggest rival. That’s the vibe at CNN right now.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav recently sat down with Paramount’s Bob Bakish to talk about a merger that would reshape everything we watch. It’s a move born out of necessity, but it’s sending shockwaves through newsrooms in New York and Atlanta.
A massive deal with a massive problem
The logic behind the deal is simple: survival. Both companies are carrying a mountain of debt. They’re also trying to figure out how to make streaming pay the bills as cable TV dies off.
By joining forces, they’d have a massive library of movies and shows to compete with Netflix and Disney. But for the people working at CNN, the news felt like a gut punch. The network has already been through a chaotic few years, with leadership changes and layoffs.
They just hired Mark Thompson, the former New York Times chief, to turn things around. Now, his plans might be interrupted by a corporate marriage that nobody saw coming a few months ago.
The CBS complication
If these two giants merge, they’ll own two of the biggest news organizations in the world: CNN and CBS News. Regulators usually hate that. It’s hard to imagine a single company keeping both brands running exactly as they are now.
So, what happens if the deal goes through? There are a few possibilities:
- One network could be sold off to a third party to satisfy the government.
- The two newsrooms could be smashed together to save money.
- Redundant jobs in tech and administration would likely vanish.
The technical departments would almost certainly see cuts. But the bigger worry is the editorial soul of each brand.
What this means for your screen
For viewers, it’s about more than just business. CNN and CBS have very different DNA. CNN is the 24-hour breaking news machine that thrives on global crises. CBS News is the prestige home of “60 Minutes” and a legacy of deep, structured reporting.
Mixing them could dilute what makes each one special. And then there’s the political headache. Any deal this big will face intense scrutiny in Washington. Critics worry that having fewer owners in the media means fewer voices and less competition for your attention.
The talks are still in the early stages, and a deal is far from guaranteed. But the mere fact that these conversations are happening shows just how desperate legacy media companies are to find a lifeline. CNN staffers are left waiting to see if their next boss is the same as their current one.