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Paula Reid to Leave CNN Ahead of Paramount Takeover

Her planned exit signals early talent flight and raises fresh questions about who will lead CNN after the ownership change.

Paula Reid at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner held at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
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Overview

  • Multiple outlets reported Wednesday that Reid declined to renew her CNN contract and is expected to join MS NOW, making her the first high-profile on-air journalist to exit over the pending Paramount Skydance takeover.
  • The planned $110–111 billion acquisition has received approval from the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division but continues to face possible state attorney general lawsuits and foreign reviews that leave its timing uncertain.
  • CNN staff worry that David Ellison could install CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss to oversee CNN, a prospect that has prompted public refusals or private concerns from contributors and anchors and resistance from CEO Mark Thompson.
  • Reid told CNN executives she was uncomfortable with the takeover and the lack of clear leadership plans, and sources say managers were unable to give assurances that persuaded her to stay.
  • Industry analysts say Reid’s move could trigger further talent migration and reshape newsroom morale, and observers will watch for formal leadership plans from Paramount and any legal actions that could change the deal or timeline.