Paramount Skydance is set to acquire CNN as part of its deal to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery. David Ellison is laying out his vision for the network.
While appearing on CNBC on Thursday morning, Ellison was asked about whether or not CNN would be changing its editorial stance. The question came from David Faber, who asked about the perception that “you will be more beholden to the Trump administration” given what’s transpired at CBS News.
Ellison balked at the suggestion.
“I’ve said this since the beginning, which is, you know, for — when it really comes to — editorial independence will absolutely be maintained. It’s maintained at CBS. It’ll be maintained at CNN,” Ellison said. “And, really, who we want to talk to is the 70 percent of Americans and really around the world that identify as center-left, at center-right? And we want to be in the truth business. We want to be in the trust business. And that’s not going to change.”
Those comments from David Ellison came after he called CNN “an incredible brand with an incredible team.”
“We absolutely believe in the independence that needs to be maintained, obviously, for those incredible journalists, and we want to support that going forward,” Ellison remarked. “CNN and CBS News are brands that we also really want to be a part of transitioning to streaming so that consumers have the choice. If they want to watch our incredible news brands on broadcast, they can do that. If they want to watch on cable, they can do that.
“But we also want to create a world to where if they want watch on streaming, they can do that, and where we can really meet consumers where they are,” the Paramount Skydance CEO continued. “We’re going to invest in the news business. And we think this is going to — this transaction will be a positive for both CBS News and CNN.”
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