Deal includes CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures; DEI policies rejected as scrutiny mounts
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, setting the stage for a sweeping transformation of the media conglomerate behind CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures.
Skydance, led by David Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, will take control of Paramount following the sale of a controlling stake by Shari Redstone’s National Amusements. Redstone will depart the company’s board once the merger is finalized.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who supported the deal, praised Skydance’s commitment to introducing “significant changes” at CBS. Carr emphasized that the new ownership has pledged to provide a diversity of political viewpoints in its programming and agreed to appoint a third-party monitor to evaluate bias complaints. Notably, Skydance also agreed not to implement any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the merged company.
The deal was not without controversy. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat, dissented, citing Paramount’s recent $16 million settlement with President Trump over a “60 Minutes” segment. She expressed concern that the merger could embolden political interference in the press.
CBS’s cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” just a week prior to the FCC’s decision also drew scrutiny, especially after Colbert publicly criticized the Trump settlement as a “big fat bribe.” CBS claimed the cancellation was due to financial pressures, but critics — including the Writers Guild of America and Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff — questioned the timing.
“This merger raises serious concerns about political pressure shaping media decisions,” Warren wrote in Variety.
Despite the uproar, the FCC’s approval clears the path for a new era at Paramount — one defined by fresh ownership, ideological scrutiny, and growing political tension over media independence.
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