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The Emerging Ellison Empire

The Ellisons are gearing up to bid for Warner Bros. Discovery—a move that could reshape media power and put CNN under Bari Weiss’ editorial direction.

Oliver Darcy
Oliver Darcy

Sep 12, 2025

The Emerging Ellison Empire

The Ellisons are gearing up to bid for Warner Bros. Discovery—a move that could reshape media power and put CNN under Bari Weiss’ editorial direction.

Oliver Darcy
Oliver Darcy

Sep 12, 2025

Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison. (Photo by Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

On Thursday afternoon, the media world was jolted by a scoop from The Wall Street Journal: Paramount is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by the immense wealth of the Ellison family. The offer would cover the entire company—HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, CNN, and its sprawling portfolio of cable assets—and is designed to land before the David Zaslav-led conglomerate can split itself in two or attract rival suitors.

I’ve since confirmed that Paramount is indeed preparing the blockbuster bid, and I’m told…

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Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, prior to the fatal shooting. (Photo by Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

Status Scoop | Media Matters Goes Mute: Media Matters, the progressive watchdog that monitors right-wing media, abruptly stopped publishing on Wednesday afternoon in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The pause came amid intensifying calls from MAGA figures to target and shut down “leftist” groups they claim fomented the violence, making Media Matters a prime target. The group is already under investigation by Donald Trump’s FTC and locked in a costly legal battle with Elon Musk. In a statement to Status, a spokesperson…

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Oliver Darcy

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