Mark Thompson to stay on to lead CNN under Skydance ownership
Mark Thompson will stay in charge of CNN after Skydance takes over Warner Bros. Discovery.
He told staff on 5 October 2026 that he will continue to lead the news organisation under its new owners, according to CNN and Variety. The decision settles who runs CNN after the takeover. Thompson said he will remain as chairman and editor-in-chief.
In that dual role he keeps charge of both the business and the journalism. Thompson said he will lead CNN into its next chapter as an independent Editor-in-Chief, with the same responsibilities and prerogatives he has now. That wording points to no cut to his editorial authority.
He will report to Skydance chief executive David Ellison and co-chief executive Ynon Kreiz. Thompson told staff he has confidence the new owners understand and will support independent news at CNN. He gave no further detail on contract terms.
The announcement followed a direct request from Ellison. Reuters reported on 1 October 2026, citing a source, that Ellison had asked Thompson to stay on after the Warner Bros. deal. At that point Paramount Skydance and Thompson were described as being in the early stages of discussions about him staying as CNN leader.
Thompson had already signalled his interest in staying. During a staff town hall meeting, an internal session where employees hear updates and ask questions, in September, he said he was enthusiastic about continuing under Paramount Skydance ownership. Variety reported that Thompson was in discussions with Paramount to stay on as chairman and chief executive of CNN.
CNN remains a large business inside the wider deal. Warner Bros. Discovery projected in a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year that CNN will generate $600 million in profit in 2026 on $1.8 billion in revenue, according to Variety. A filing of this kind is a formal financial forecast given to the markets regulator. The figures cover the full calendar year.
For viewers, this means continuity at the top while the ownership changes. The same leader stays in post, with the same editorial powers. What makes this stand out is the speed of the resolution, from early-stage talks on 1 October to a confirmed stay on 5 October.
