It is wild how much the media landscape has shifted lately. Honestly, if you stopped paying attention to the news for just a year or two, you’d probably be completely lost regarding who actually calls the shots at your favorite networks. Two names that keep popping up in searches—for very different reasons—are CNN and MBCN.
One is a global news titan that has changed hands more times than a hot potato in a playground game. The other is a ticker symbol that often gets confused with international broadcasting groups but actually tells a much more localized, "main street" story.
Let’s get into it.
The Big Question: Who Owns CNN and MBCN Right Now?
To understand the current state of who owns CNN and MBCN, you have to look at two totally different sectors of the economy: massive entertainment conglomerates and regional banking.
🔗 Read more: The All Good Things Prime Reality Check: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessed With Amazon's Ecosystem
CNN is currently a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
That’s the short answer. But the long answer is a bit of a mess because, as of early 2026, the company is in the middle of a massive structural split. For a long time, CNN was under the AT&T umbrella after they bought Time Warner. That didn’t last. In 2022, they spun it off, merged it with Discovery, and created the WBD we know today.
Now, things are changing again.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been moving toward a plan to split its business into two distinct pieces. One side will handle the "glamour" stuff—streaming and film studios (think HBO and Max). The other side, often referred to as Discovery Global or the "Networks" company, will house the legacy cable channels.
This means CNN is officially packaged with Discovery and TNT Sports. If you want to get technical, the "owners" are the shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery. Institutional giants like The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street hold the biggest slices of that pie.
What About MBCN?
Here is where people usually get tripped up. There is a "MBC Group" (Middle East Broadcasting Center) which is a massive Saudi-owned media conglomerate. It’s huge. It’s powerful. But its ticker isn't MBCN.
MBCN is the Nasdaq ticker for Middlefield Banc Corp.
Basically, it's an Ohio-based financial holding company. They own The Middlefield Banking Company, which has been around since 1901. So, if you are looking for a media mogul behind MBCN, you won't find one. You’ll find a bank that serves Northeast and Central Ohio.
Ownership here is also public. As of this year, a huge chunk—over 65%—is owned by individual retail investors and public companies. The rest is held by institutional players like Castle Creek Advisors and, again, Vanguard.
The weirdest part? In January 2026, news broke that Farmers National Banc Corp is moving to acquire Middlefield Banc Corp. This means the "who owns it" answer is about to change to "Farmers" once the deal closes for about 2.6 shares of Farmers stock for every MBCN share.
The Drama Behind CNN's Ownership
CNN hasn't had a "quiet" year in decades. Ever since Ted Turner sold his baby back in 1996, the network has been through the corporate ringer.
Under the leadership of David Zaslav at Warner Bros. Discovery, the network has seen massive budget cuts and leadership musical chairs. First, there was Chris Licht, whose tenure was short and, frankly, pretty chaotic. Now, Sir Mark Thompson is the guy at the helm. He’s trying to drag CNN into a digital-first future because, let's face it, cable TV is a shrinking ship.
📖 Related: City of London Drainage: Why the Square Mile is Such a Nightmare for Plumbers
There’s also a lot of noise about hostile takeovers.
Reports have been flying around about Paramount-Skydance making a play for the cable assets that other companies don't want. Some analysts have even floated the idea of CNN merging with CBS News if the right deal goes through. It's a "limbo" state.
Why the Confusion Happens
People search for who owns CNN and MBCN together because they often mistake MBCN for a news network.
- The MBC Media Group: This is a Philippine company (Manila Broadcasting Company) owned by the FJE Group and Fred J. Elizalde.
- The MBC Group (Saudi): Majority owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia.
- MBCN (The Bank): The Ohio bank mentioned earlier.
If you’re looking for the media company, you’re likely thinking of the Saudi group or the Philippine group. But if you're looking at a stock portfolio and seeing MBCN, you're looking at an Ohio bank that is currently being bought out by Farmers National.
Key Players and Shareholders
If we look at the actual paperwork, the same few names keep appearing. It’s kind of a "small world" situation in the corporate halls of power.
- Vanguard: They are the top dog for both WBD (CNN's parent) and MBCN. They own roughly 11% of WBD.
- BlackRock: Another massive asset manager with a heavy hand in how these companies are governed.
- The Saudi Public Investment Fund: They now hold a 54% stake in the Saudi MBC Group, making them the ultimate power players in Middle Eastern media.
What This Means for You
Ownership isn't just a trivia fact. It dictates what you see on your screen.
When a company like Netflix or Paramount eyes CNN, they aren't just buying a building in Atlanta or New York. They are buying the "brand." If a tech-heavy company like Netflix ever fully integrated CNN, you’d see a massive shift toward streaming-only content.
On the banking side, the MBCN merger with Farmers National means local customers in Ohio will likely see new signs on their bank branches soon. It’s a classic case of a larger regional player absorbing a smaller one to gain "scale."
Actionable Next Steps
If you are following these companies for investment or just to stay informed, here is what you should do:
🔗 Read more: Why Every Yellow Logo With Red Makes You Hungry (And A Little Impatient)
- Watch the WBD Split: Keep an eye on the mid-2026 deadline for the Warner Bros. Discovery split. This will determine if CNN becomes part of a "bad bank" of declining cable assets or if it finds a new, more aggressive suitor.
- Verify Your Tickers: If you are trading, don't buy MBCN thinking it’s a global media play. It’s a regional bank in the middle of an acquisition. Always check the "Industry" tag on your brokerage app.
- Check the SEC Filings: For the most up-to-date ownership data, search the EDGAR database for WBD and MBCN. That is the only way to see real-time shifts in who is selling and who is buying.
Media and banking are both undergoing a "consolidation phase." The big are getting bigger, and the medium-sized players are being swallowed up. Whether it's a news desk in London or a bank teller in Ohio, the name on the paycheck is changing.