Barry Diller Says He'd Buy CNN 'Tonight and Tomorrow Night' to Save It From Ruin

Broadcasting veteran Barry Diller made a bold statement at The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything Festival, declaring he would eagerly acquire CNN if given the opportunity. When asked about potentially owning the cable news giant, Diller didn't mince words: "Absolutely, I would do it tonight and tomorrow night," he said, adding a pointed jab at the network's current trajectory. His urgency reflected deep concern about CNN's trajectory, framing acquisition as a rescue mission. "Before they ruin it any further. Hopefully before it's extinct, which, I mean, it's not gonna be," Diller remarked, suggesting the network is in serious decline but not beyond saving. The comments reveal how starkly the media landscape has shifted—a legendary media mogul sees CNN's current state as so troubled that immediate intervention feels necessary. Notably, Diller also expressed skepticism that CNN would remain independent long-term, predicting instead that it will ultimately merge with CBS, suggesting consolidation may be the network's likeliest future rather than acquisition by someone like himself.