Episode 112: David Ellison Goes to the New York Times

The Option · Aug 6, 2026 · 3m

David Ellison published a New York Times op-ed on the morning of Paramount's Q2 earnings call, arguing that the DOJ's antitrust challenge to his Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition is not about market share — it's about CNN. For agents, showrunners, and executives watching the deal, the op-ed is a strategic lobbying document with real contractual implications: Ellison just made editorial independence at CNN a public promise, and that promise has leverage value before the deal closes. Key Takeaways: Ellison, 43, published the op-ed in the New York Times on the same day as Paramount's Q2…