{"id":8087902,"date":"2026-09-30T10:21:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:21:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/?p=8087902"},"modified":"2026-09-30T15:07:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:07:42","slug":"rob-bonta-cnn-paramount-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/journalism\/rob-bonta-cnn-paramount-future\/","title":{"rendered":"California AG Rob Bonta \u2018Concerned\u2019 About CNN\u2019s Future Under Paramount: \u2018Our Information Ecosystem Is Broken\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he is concerned about the future of CNN under Paramount, pointing to protections for the network\u2019s editorial independence included in the settlement clearing Paramount\u2019s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI care about our information ecosystem. It\u2019s broken,\u201d Bonta said during TheWrap\u2019s TheGrill conference Wednesday, citing misinformation and disinformation. \u201cOf course I\u2019m concerned about it.\u201d Bonta said those concerns helped lead to settlement provisions protecting editorial independence at CNN and CBS News, as well as commitments to \u201cjournalistic integrity\u201d and \u201cfact-based, non-biased, objective reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remarks come just over a week after Bonta led a coalition of 12 state attorneys general in settling their antitrust lawsuit seeking to block Paramount\u2019s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery<\/a>. The agreement cleared a major legal hurdle for the merger and requires Paramount to establish a five-member News Editorial Independence Board overseeing CNN and CBS News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The board, which must be established within 180 days of the merger closing, will be made up of current or former journalists and tasked with resolving certain disputes between newsroom employees and management. But questions have been raised about how much power the board will actually have<\/a>, particularly because Paramount\u2019s board of directors will select its five members.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\tRead Next<\/strong>
\n\t\t\tRob Bonta 'Vehemently and Respectfully Disagrees' That He 'Caved' on Warner Bros.-Paramount Suit<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Bonta\u2019s concerns about CNN predate the settlement. In July, he said he was \u201cvery concerned\u201d about CNN\u2019s future under Paramount<\/a>, citing changes at CBS News and broader concerns about preserving a \u201cfree and independent press.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonta also denied Wednesday that political pressure played a role in reaching the settlement, saying there was \u201cno pressure\u201d from California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. He maintained that the case was settled after Paramount began addressing the attorneys general\u2019s antitrust concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonta tied his concerns about CNN to the broader state of American news and information, arguing that the country needs to \u201cshare the same facts\u201d to find solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t share the same facts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What does the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal mean for CNN?

California AG Rob Bonta tells Sharon Waxman why he\u2019s concerned about the future of news and says the settlement\u2019s proposed editorial independence board is intended to help safeguard \u201cjournalistic integrity\u201d and objective\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/KfBeaCb3li<\/a><\/p>— TheWrap (@TheWrap) September 30, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>