Paula Reid will reportedly land at MS NOW after potential CNN exit

Paula Reid is expected to join MS NOW after opting not to renew her contract with CNN, people familiar with the matter told Variety. 

Paul Reid to leave CNN at end of current deal: Report

The legal affairs journalist is leaving CNN as the network faces uncertainty tied to Warner Bros. Discovery’s pending acquisition by Paramount Skydance. Two Variety sources said Reid declined a new CNN deal in part because of concerns about the network’s next phase under new ownership.

Paramount has signaled interest in having Bari Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News, play a role in CNN’s future. Weiss, a former opinion journalist, has drawn scrutiny inside CBS News as she has pushed the network toward a more digital-focused strategy.

MS NOW, meanwhile, has placed greater emphasis on hard news and enterprise reporting under Rebecca Kutler, the network’s president.

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It was not immediately clear what role Reid might fill at MS NOW, which recently completed a talent and programming overhaul that has left little room for her to get her own show, though it’s also possible she might help continue to build up the network’s Washington, D.C., stable of reporters. 

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“As a general matter of practice, we don’t comment on personnel matters,” an MS NOW spokesperson said in a statement. “As everyone in Washington knows, Paula Reid is an exceptional reporter, and any news organization would be fortunate to showcase her journalism.”

A representative for Reid declined to comment. CNN also declined to comment on her departure.

CNN journalists have watched the possibility of Weiss taking on a role at the network with concern, according to Variety. Her approach at CBS News has included changes affecting several of the network’s most visible programs, including “60 Minutes,” “CBS Evening News” and “CBS Mornings.”

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Paramount has received approval from the U.S. Department of Justice for its Warner Bros. Discovery deal but still faces potential scrutiny from the British government, along with possible legal challenges from state attorneys general.

Reid joined CNN in 2021 after working at CBS News well before the Weiss era. She has covered the Supreme Court, federal and state investigations and legal matters involving Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

If Reid’s exit goes through, she’ll be the first major on-air name to exit after word of the WBD buyout was announced. Kara Swisher, a contributor to CNN, has also said she would exit if Paramount takes over.