FCC Approves Paramount and Skydance Merger
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given the green light for a $8 billion merger between Paramount Global Media and Skydance Media.
The approval comes over a year after the companies initially agreed to merge. On Thursday, the FCC officially endorsed the transfer of licenses for 28 CBS-owned local TV stations to a Skydance-led group, removing the last regulatory barrier for this merger.
The FCC voted 2-1 in favor of the deal, with Commissioner Anna Gomez—appointed by Biden—expressing her opposition based on Paramount’s recent legal settlements involving President Trump.
“After many months of this administration’s influence, Paramount finally achieved what it wanted,” Gomez stated. “Sadly, it’s the American public that bears the consequences of these actions.”
Skydance had previously reached an agreement with the FCC to eliminate certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs post-merger. They also committed to appoint an ombudsman to address any concerns about bias involving CBS and to ensure a variety of viewpoints are represented.
In a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Skydance’s chief legal officer mentioned the establishment of an ombudsman role to handle “bias or other concern complaints” and confirmed the discontinuation of Paramount’s DEI initiatives. Skydance executives, including Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, stated that the company has no DEI policy and has committed to implementing one in the future. This letter, dated July 22, was made public on the FCC website.
During a recent meeting with FCC officials, Skydance CEO David Ellison emphasized the company’s dedication to fair journalism and the importance of ensuring that CBS’ editorial choices reflect diverse ideological perspectives.
FCC Commissioner Brendanker expressed support for the changes.
“Americans have lost trust in traditional national news to report accurately and fairly. It’s time for a shift,” Kerr noted. “This is why we applaud Skydance’s commitment to implement significant changes at CBS.”
