FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger – CBS News
The Federal Communications Commission has given the green light for the completion of the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. This approval, announced on Thursday, paves the way for the media and entertainment giants to finalize their deal. Paramount, the parent company of CBS, will now be able to move forward with the merger.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr expressed his support for the merger, citing the need for a change in the national news media landscape. He commended Skydance for their commitment to making significant changes at CBS, including the hiring of a CBS News ombudsman to address complaints of editorial bias for a minimum of two years. Additionally, Skydance has pledged not to implement DEI initiatives.
According to Carr, Skydance has promised to ensure that the new company’s news and entertainment content will represent diverse viewpoints across the political spectrum and maintain fair, unbiased, and fact-based reporting standards at CBS.
Carr also highlighted Skydance’s dedication to local news coverage and their plans to collaborate with affiliated broadcast stations to enhance their ability to serve local communities.
The approval from the FCC marks the end of a lengthy corporate saga surrounding Paramount, which boasts a portfolio including Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, CBS television network, CBS News and Stations, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Comedy Central, and other media brands.
In July 2024, Paramount Global and Skydance Media announced their agreement to merge after a brief pause in negotiations. This decision followed a competitive sales process that attracted interest from various corporate players and investors, such as Barry Diller, Sony Pictures, and Apollo Global Management. Paramount had initially aimed to finalize the $8.4 billion merger in the first half of 2025.
However, the merger faced delays as it underwent review by the FCC and Chair Brendan Carr, who was appointed to the role by President Trump earlier in the year. Paramount’s settlement of a lawsuit with Mr. Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview added another layer of complexity to the merger process.
In a dissenting statement, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez expressed concerns about the merger approval, citing the settlement of the lawsuit with Mr. Trump as a troubling concession. She raised questions about the FCC’s involvement in pressuring Paramount to reach a private legal settlement, which she viewed as a threat to press freedom.
Gomez called for companies, journalists, and citizens to advocate for transparency and accountability in the media landscape to prevent unchecked power from undermining democratic values.
