Paula Reid: Why is top CNN star leaving network? All we know ahead of Paramount acquisition

Paula Reid, CNN's Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent, plans to leave as Paramount prepares to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

CNN's Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent, Paula Reid, is reportedly preparing to depart from the network in anticipation of Paramount's acquisition.

CNN's chief legal correspondent Paula Reid is reportedly leaving the network ahead of Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion, stirring uncertainty among employees. (AFP)

Her departure coincides with Paramount, the parent company of CBS, preparing to purchase CNN's parent organization, Warner Bros. Discovery, in a substantial $111 billion transaction that has reportedly caused some uncertainty among CNN employees regarding the network's future.

The 43-year-old correspondent, whose contract is due to expire this summer, has turned down a lucrative renewal offer from network executives and has stated her intention to leave, as reported by Status, a media industry newsletter. It remains unclear whether she has secured another position.

Paula Reid's reporting and departure from network

Reid had the opportunity to renew her contract but opted to leave due to the uncertainty surrounding the merger, sources informed Variety.

The legal correspondent has been a prominent presence in CNN’s programming since joining the network in 2021, after previously working at CBS News. She reported on the Supreme Court as well as federal and state investigations involving high-profile officials, including President Donald Trump.

All we know about Paramount's takeover

Last month, the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department granted approval for Paramount Skydance Corp's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, stating that the deal does not pose a competitive threat in the realms of streaming, traditional television, or the film industry.

Analysts anticipated a smooth progression for the deal, attributing this to Paramount's political affiliations. CEO David Ellison and his father, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, both have connections to Trump.

Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi remarked that political considerations would not influence the DOJ's decision, while Paramount has maintained that the acquisition does not present any antitrust issues. Furthermore, Paramount asserts that the merger will intensify competition against Disney and Netflix, thereby helping to maintain competitive pricing..

According to sources cited by Reuters, California, New York, and several other states are gearing up to file a lawsuit aimed at preventing the Paramount deal.

This merger would result in both CBS and CNN being owned by the same entity, raising concerns among some CNN staff, particularly given the contentious nature of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss's time at CBS News.

Weiss, who lacks any prior experience in broadcasting, established her "anti-woke" media platform, The Free Press, in 2021, which was subsequently acquired by Paramount for around $150 million in cash and stock. Following this acquisition, she was appointed to lead CBS News by David Ellison, after his firm purchased Paramount Global for $8 billion last year.

Since assuming this position, Weiss has dismissed 60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Simon along with correspondents Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi. She subsequently appointed tech journalist Nick Bilton as executive producer and terminated the employment of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after a disagreement between them.

Critics have also accused her of being overly supportive of Trump, and her appointment led to the resignation of some producers on ideological grounds.

Additionally, CNN's prominent anchor Anderson Cooper has reportedly expressed to colleagues his reluctance to collaborate with Weiss, as reported by The New York Times.