Rosie O’Donnell Calls David Ellison’s Potential CNN Takeover “Tragic,” and She Didn’t Hold Back

Media consolidation stories rarely generate this much heat from Hollywood’s outspoken voices, but the ongoing shakeup at some of America’s most storied news outlets has become impossible for industry figures to ignore. Between corporate mergers and high-profile editorial hires, the landscape of television journalism has been shifting rapidly throughout the year.

Rosie O’Donnell has never been shy about sharing her opinions on the entertainment industry, and the latest chapter in this media consolidation saga proved no exception. In a new interview, the comedian and talk show veteran turned her attention to Paramount Skydance owner David Ellison’s pending bid to take over Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes CNN among its assets.

O’Donnell described the potential deal in stark terms, calling it “tragic” and comparing the shift to Fox News becoming the industry standard rather than an outlier. “It would be like Fox taking over all news channels. Imagine if Fox was not one outlier and Fox was the mainstay? That’s what’s happening with Hollywood now and the Ellisons, and it’s tragic,” O’Donnell said, speaking to Variety.

She pointed directly to changes already underway at CBS News following Ellison’s earlier acquisition of Paramount, specifically citing the network’s flagship program ’60 Minutes’ as an example of what she fears could happen industry-wide. “Look at what’s happened to CBS News and ’60 Minutes,’ which was the gold star of their entire network, and they blew it up,” O’Donnell continued, again speaking to Variety.

Her comments extended to Bari Weiss, the journalist Ellison installed as editor-in-chief of CBS News after Paramount’s acquisition of her outlet, The Free Press, for a reported $150 million. O’Donnell didn’t mince words about Weiss’s role in the changes she described, saying she couldn’t understand how Weiss could live with herself given her involvement.

O’Donnell went further, invoking a historical analogy to describe her feelings about people she believes are aligning themselves with Ellison’s vision for these newsrooms, warning that history would remember everyone’s choices and associations during this period.

The comments arrive amid a broader wave of criticism from media figures over the direction CBS News has taken since Weiss’s appointment, including delayed segments and editorial decisions that some former staffers and current insiders have characterized as politically motivated. Weiss’s hiring followed a turbulent stretch for CBS News that included a $16 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by President Trump over a ’60 Minutes’ interview.

Ellison’s attempted acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, reportedly valued at $111 billion, would extend his influence over CNN and HBO if approved, following on the heels of his earlier Paramount-Skydance merger. That earlier deal already sparked scrutiny, including a Democratic-led investigation into potential anti-bribery concerns tied to assurances made to federal regulators during the approval process.

O’Donnell’s remarks add her voice to a growing chorus of entertainment and media figures who have publicly criticized the direction of these consolidations, including HBO’s John Oliver, who previously took aim at both Ellison and Weiss over the CBS News changes. Whether the Warner Bros. Discovery deal ultimately goes through remains uncertain, but the debate over what it could mean for CNN’s editorial independence shows no signs of quieting down.

As the potential merger continues moving through regulatory channels, industry watchers and outspoken critics alike are likely to keep a close eye on how these changes unfold across the broader media landscape.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!