CNN could soon lose one of its top correspondents as ownership changes draw closer. The well-known face is reportedly preparing to leave instead of staying through the network’s next chapter. The decision comes as Paramount moves toward completing its acquisition of CNN’s parent company.
Paula Reid expected to exit amid new ownership
Paula Reid, CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent, has reportedly decided not to renew her contract and plans to leave once her current deal ends. According to Status, CNN offered Reid a favorable extension, but she chose against staying. The report says she discussed her concerns with network executives as uncertainty surrounding Paramount’s takeover continued to grow.
The timing of Reid’s reported departure is interesting because Paramount is getting closer to finalizing its massive $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal recently cleared a big hurdle after getting approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, but it isn’t over yet.
Regulators in the U.K. could still take a closer look, with Britain’s culture minister saying the deal may face a public interest review. According to Status, all that uncertainty reportedly made Reid uneasy, especially since no one could promise what new ownership would mean for CNN or its editorial direction (via The Daily Beast).
The questions around editorial independence didn’t start with this deal. They’ve been hanging over Paramount ever since the changes at CBS News following David Ellison’s earlier acquisition, which reportedly led to several well-known journalists leaving. According to Status, CNN contributor Kara Swisher has also made it clear more than once that she plans to move on once the merger is done.
Long before she joined CNN in 2021, Reid had already built a strong reputation during her years at CBS, where she spent more than a decade and eventually became the network’s White House correspondent.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
