Regulators will not hinder Skydance’s top acquisition. The FCC has approved $8 billion purchases of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including the parent company of CBS Network. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement that he welcomed Skydance’s commitment to make significant changes on the once legendary CBS broadcast network. “He said Skydance has made a written commitment to ensure that its “news and entertainment will reflect various perspectives within the political and ideological sphere.” He also said Skydance “promises not to build” the DEI program.
“Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change…These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage. Doing so would begin the process of earning back Americans’ trust. Today’s decision also marks another step forward in the FCC’s efforts to eliminate innovative forms of DEI discrimination,” part of Carr’s statement reads.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued a statement saying she could not “be so picky to resolve baseless litigation given payments and other disturbing concessions.” In early July, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to resolve CBS interviews Donald Trump had with Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign. His lawyer accused the web of editing her answers to “confusing, deceiving and misleading the public.”
Legal experts said at the time that Paramount might have addressed to ensure there are no barriers to merger approval. When news about the acquisition was first released, the company said it plans to rebuild its streaming technology while reducing costs under new CEO David Ellison. After all, Paramount has invested billions of dollars in its streaming service Paramount+, but has not yet cashed in on its profits. The company said it allocated the $16 million to Trump’s future presidential library rather than “direct or indirect payments.”
“This once independent FCC has taken unprecedented moves to leverage its tremendous power to reconcile private legal laws and further erode press freedom.” The agency again, through legitimate efforts to combat discrimination and expand opportunities for other government entities with appropriate jurisdiction over these issues, through legitimate efforts to overcome discrimination and expand opportunities. What is even more shocking is that it is even more shocking, and now, its decisions and editorial judgments on the newsroom directly violate the first amendment and the law.
She added: “The most important expenditure and this reckless endorsement brings those who believe that the government can and should abuse its capabilities to extract financial and ideological capabilities, demanding a tendency to treat and the ability to ensure positive media coverage. This is a dark chapter in a long and growing record of abuse that threatens the freedom of this country. But when urgent actions in institutions and internationally loom. Unchecked and unquestionable power does not have the rightful place in the United States.”
