Paramount Skydance is considering a potential sale of CNN as it looks for ways to address the legal challenges surrounding its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The option was confirmed by Paramount’s chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim, who said the company is keeping a CNN sale “on the table” as it works to move the deal forward.
The possibility comes as Paramount CEO David Ellison faces continued scrutiny over his assurances that CNN would retain its editorial independence following the merger. Although a sale could ease some concerns about political influence over the network, it would not directly address the antitrust case brought by California and 11 other states against the proposed acquisition.
Paramount is also considering whether to relocate some of its operations outside California amid the legal dispute. Delrahim said the company is prepared to work with both Republicans and Democrats to advance the transaction, while his comments about a potential departure from California have added another political dimension to the ongoing merger battle.
The reported plans have drawn criticism from industry groups. The Writers Guild of America has opposed the Warner Bros. Discovery deal and criticized Paramount’s suggestion that it could leave California, arguing that such a move highlights the company’s growing influence over the entertainment industry.
Media and press-freedom advocates have also questioned whether selling CNN would meaningfully resolve the broader concerns surrounding the merger. While the move could separate CNN from Paramount’s future ownership structure, critics argue that it would not eliminate the wider antitrust or free-speech issues raised by the proposed deal.
