David Ellison reportedly asked CNN CEO to stay after Paramount (PSKY) - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), reports WSJ

Retention approaches of this kind are a standard early signal in contested or recently agreed media combinations: acquirers move quickly to lock in divisional leadership, particularly at news assets where talent flight and editorial continuity are the principal integration risks. Ellison's reported outreach to the CNN chief fits the familiar pattern in which a buyer seeks to reassure key operating units before regulatory and closing mechanics run their course, and prior form at Skydance-era Paramount has been to keep incumbent management where franchise value depends on it. The detail that matters for positioning is which asset CNN sits inside under the deal structure, since news networks have historically been the pieces most exposed to regulatory scrutiny and political pressure in large media tie-ups, and retention gestures tend to precede, rather than settle, the divestiture-versus-keep question. Worth watching are follow-on reports on the broader WBD leadership slate, any signalling on asset disposals to smooth approval, and whether WBD's side confirms the talks at all. As a single-source report attributed to one outlet, confirmation risk remains live until either party comments.