Ellison Wants to Turn CNN Into Fox Competitor

Paramount chief David Ellison has quietly assured Trump officials that if the federal government blesses the company’s bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, he will move swiftly to remake CNN, the president’s longtime media nemesis, according to reports.

The behind-the-scenes maneuvering comes as a bruising bidding war erupts over WBD, owner of CNN, HBO, Discovery and a sprawling portfolio of cable networks.

The Netflix-WBD merger now faces a serious challenge from Paramount, whose majority shareholder is billionaire Trump ally and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.

During a recent trip to Washington, Ellison’s son David told members of Trump’s team that he would impose sweeping changes at CNN if he gained control of its parent company, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

Larry Ellison also weighed in personally. He discussed the possible firing of CNN hosts including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar, figures Trump openly dislikes, during talks with White House officials last month, The Guardian reported.

As Netflix’s bid gained momentum, David Ellison enlisted his father to lobby the White House directly, the Daily Mail reported.

Larry Ellison called the president after the Netflix announcement and warned that the merger would hurt competition, according to a White House official and a person familiar with the matter.

The alleged secret meetings and phone calls with Trump’s team underscore how intensely political the WBD battle has become.

Reporting over the past 24 hours suggests both Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Ellison have been actively courting Trump and his inner circle to bolster their competing bids.

Politico reported Monday night that Sarandos visited the White House last Tuesday, just days before Netflix’s blockbuster announcement. A Netflix spokesman said Sarandos did not meet with Trump during the visit.