CNN Rising Star Quits Network Over Fears Mega-Billionaire David Ellison Will Tank Cable News Network
CNN rising star Paula Reid is reportedly leaving the network amid uncertainty over David Ellison's takeover.
July 1 2026, Published 3:15 p.m. ET
Rising star reporter Paula Reid has seemingly stunned CNN bosses by quitting the network, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to insiders, the 43-year-old snubbed a generous renewal offer in favor of letting her contract expire.
Snubbing New Deal to Stay at CNN
Reid turned down contract renewal offered by CNN bosses.
Insiders claim Reid held conversations with execs while mulling over her decision, expressing concern over Paramount's pending $111 billion acquisition of CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and the uncertainty it has cast over the future of CNN, according to Status.
Network chiefs made a strong push to retain her services, hyping her up as a rising on-air talent, having given her the opportunity to anchor across the network in recent years.
However, Reid was not given assurances about how CNN will operate under the new ownership of David Ellison.
Concerns Over Ellison Widespread
Reid previously worked for 'CBS Evening News' anchored by Scott Pelley.
The Wrap claims Reid, who spent a decade at CBS News where she began her career as an on-air correspondent for the CBS Evening News anchored by Scott Pelley, "expressed concern about the sweeping changes implemented at the network since Ellison took over."
It’s yet to be confirmed who will oversee CNN when the deal closes, but alleged anti-"woke" CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss is hotly-tipped to assume editorial oversight.
Reid decided the uncertainty surrounding the merger meant she could not commit to the network — and she’s not the first major full-time CNN journalist to opt to exit the network over concerns about its future under Ellison's ownership.
CNN Exodus Over Takeover Uncertainty
Technology journalist Kara Swisher will also be leaving CNN.
Technology journalist Kara Swisher, a CNN on-air contributor who recently fronted a documentary series for the network, has repeatedly said in recent months that she will depart when Paramount's deal to acquire Warners closes.
Anderson Cooper, 59, who left 60 Minutes amid Weiss' takeover, would also be unlikely to be pleased with the move, as he once privately told colleagues he did not want to work for her, according to two sources who spoke to The New York Times.
The anchor wrapped up his two-decade run as a correspondent for 60 Minutes just months after her arrival.
"He wasn't comfortable with the direction the show was taking under Bari, and is in a position where he doesn't have to put up with it," an insider previously told Status.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Anderson Cooper reportedly told colleagues he did not want to work for Bari Weiss.
Cooper's departure followed reports of growing friction behind the scenes over editorial decisions.
Weiss delayed a 60 Minutes segment examining the Trump administration's claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa, leading veteran producer Michael Gavshon to become "exasperated" by what the newsletter described as "abnormal" edits.
Although Cooper never publicly named Weiss, many interpreted his farewell remarks as a pointed message about the show's future.
"I hope 60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes," Cooper said during his final appearance in May, per The Daily Beast. "There's very few things that have been around for as long as 60 Minutes has and maintained the quality that it has."
"I think the independence of 60 Minutes has been critical," he added. "I hope the core of what 60 Minutes is always remains."
A number of other CNN journalists at the network are reportedly privately weighing their future as well.
