CBS News vs Scripps

CNN, CBS News Heads Join Skydance Leadership Team

Skydance, the incoming owner of the combined Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery entity, announced its CEO Leadership Team (CLT) on Monday. CNN's Mark Thompson and CBS News' Bari Weiss will join the leadership team, continuing in their current roles as chairman/editor-in-chief of CNN Worldwide and editor-in-chief of CBS News, respectively. The merger is expected to close on October 6, after which Thompson and Weiss will report to David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz. Thompson assured staff in a memo that CNN's independence will be maintained under the new ownership. The announcement also includes other executive appointments for content, TV, film, and DC Studios. The new leadership structure aims to integrate news with entertainment as a strategic opportunity.

• Skydance announced its CEO Leadership Team (CLT) on Monday, including CNN's Mark Thompson and CBS News' Bari Weiss.
• Thompson will continue as chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN Worldwide; Weiss remains editor-in-chief of CBS News.
• The Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger is expected to close on Tuesday, October 6.

Shira Lazar's What's Trending Scales to Seven-Figure Revenue

Shira Lazar built the creator-driven digital media brand What's Trending, which now generates up to seven figures in annual revenue through platform advertising, brand partnerships, licensing, distribution, and events. Despite a setback with CBS News, she scaled the brand across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. What's Trending has 4 million followers and distribution deals with MSN, Spotify, and Screenvision. Lazar also advocates for creator rights, launching the Creator Bill of Rights with Rep. Ro Khanna and founding Creators for Mental Health. The article highlights her journey and the growing importance of creator-driven media, as noted by NowThis CEO Sharon Mussalli.

• What's Trending generates annual revenue ranging from mid-six figures to low seven figures.
• The brand has 4 million followers across social platforms, with nearly 2 million on TikTok.
• What's Trending has distribution relationships with MSN, Spotify, and Screenvision.

Paramount In Talks to Settle Multistate Lawsuit for Warner Deal

Paramount has cleared the final legal obstacle to its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery after a federal judge dissolved the court order blocking the deal and settled antitrust lawsuits with 12 state attorneys general. The settlement mandates an additional $300 million annual investment in U.S. film production over five years, maintaining California operations, and releasing at least 30 films annually in theaters for the first two years (32 for the following three), with a 45-day theatrical window and 90-day holdback from streaming. An all-journalist News Editorial Independence Board will oversee CNN and CBS News, with penalties including asset divestiture. The Writers Guild will drop its lawsuit after a $17.5 million health fund payment. The deal, approved by the DOJ and EU, is expected to close within days, avoiding a $7 million daily ticking fee after October 1.

• Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery was cleared after a federal judge dissolved the blocking order and antitrust lawsuits with 12 state attorneys general were settled.
• The consent decree requires the combined company to release at least 30 theatrical films per year for the first two years and 32 for the following three, with a 45-day theatrical window and 90-day holdback from streaming.
• The settlement mandates an additional $300 million annual investment in U.S. production and maintains California operations.

Scripps taps Sean McGarvy to lead news strategy

Scripps announced the appointment of Sean McGarvy to lead news strategy, dated Sept. 28, 2026.

10-Q Financial Filing Analysis for Scripps (2026-08-07)

The E.W. Scripps Company reported its Q2 2026 financial results, marked by an operating revenue decline of 9.2% year-over-year to $490.4 million and a net loss attributable to shareholders of $1.17 billion (or -$12.68 per share). The results were severely impacted by a $1.14 billion non-cash impairment of goodwill and intangible assets within the Scripps Networks segment, driven by weak national advertising demand, linear ratings pressures, and Nielsen measurement methodology changes. Operating revenues were also pressured by a 16.7% drop in Local Media distribution revenue due to temporary blackout periods during carriage disputes with Comcast and DirecTV, though partially offset by higher political advertising ($29.7 million vs. $3.1 million in Q2 2025). Scripps continued portfolio reshaping through station swaps with Gray Media, non-core asset sales (WRTV, WFTX, Court TV), and an enterprise transformation plan targeting $125-$150 million in annualized EBITDA growth by 2028.

• Q2 2026 total operating revenues fell 9.2% YoY to $490.40 million, driven by core ad declines and a $26.7 million impact from MVPD carriage blackout disputes.
• The company recognized a $1.14 billion non-cash impairment charge on goodwill and intangibles in the Scripps Networks division, resulting in a quarterly net loss of $1.15 billion.
• Proceeds from Q1 2026 divestitures (WRTV, WFTX, and Court TV) generated $127 million, alongside an asset swap of stations across five markets completed with Gray Media in May 2026.

Scripps announces new regional leadership structure for Local Media

Scripps announces new regional leadership structure for Local Media (Sept. 9, 2026); PWHL and Scripps Sports announce national U.S. television partnership for 2026-27 season (Sept. 9, 2026); ESPN & ION to bring WTGL, the new women's team golf league from TMRW Sports and LPGA, to fans across the U.S. (Sept. 2, 2026); Scripps taps NBCU sales veteran to lead small and medium business growth and direct response advertising (Aug. 27, 2026); Inaugural Scripps Sports Women's Basketball Showcase headed to Mortgage Matchup Center on December 16 (Aug. 14, 2026); Scripps' KRTV wins National Murrow Award for 'Excellence in Innovation' (Aug. 14, 2026); Scripps reports Q2 2026 financial results (Aug. 6, 2026); Scripps completes acquisition of WTVQ in Lexington (Aug. 1, 2026); Scripps unites television operations under Dean Littleton's leadership (July 22, 2026); Scripps to release second-quarter 2026 operating results on Aug. 6 (July 15, 2026); Scripps Sports and ION score U.S. media rights for the 2027 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Cup (July 14, 2026); Scripps reaches third major retransmission deal of 2026 with DIRECTV renewal (July 13, 2026).