Paramount-Skydance Merger Approved By FCC
The $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media has officially cleared its final hurdle after the FCC approved the deal in a 2-1 vote. The decision comes on the heels of Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump over a 60 Minutes interview, a move that many critics believe was designed to smooth the deal's approval. FCC chair Brendan Carr said he welcomed Skydance’s promise to bring “significant changes” to CBS, including ending diversity programs and hiring an ombudsman to monitor media bias.
Critics, including Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez, slammed the approval as politically compromised. “The Paramount payout and this reckless approval have emboldened those who believe the government can... extract financial and ideological concessions,” she wrote in her dissent. President Trump had publicly praised the payout and claimed the new Paramount leadership committed over $36 million to him, raising further concerns of a “side deal” tied to regulatory favor.
Meanwhile, CBS has come under fire for canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a move attributed to finances but widely seen as politically motivated. Comedians like Jon Stewart and shows like South Park have mocked the timing, while lawmakers and the Writers Guild have called for investigations. As Skydance prepares to take control, the merger marks not just a corporate shake-up, but a flashpoint in the debate over press freedom and political influence in media.
