The FCC approved the merger in a partisan 2-1 vote, with Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez dissenting. Gomez accused Paramount of “cowardly capitulation” to political pressure after it paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” segment featuring Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This reeks of the worst form of corruption,” said Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, referencing the timing of the settlement and merger approval.
Trump has long criticized CBS and other media outlets for liberal bias and “fake news.” As part of the approval, Skydance agreed to appoint an ombudsman for editorial complaints and vowed not to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—moves that align with Trump’s agenda.
Public Backlash: Redstone Family Legacy Ends
The merger also signals the end of an era for the Redstone family, which built Paramount into a global media empire. Shari Redstone, daughter of the late media mogul Sumner Redstone, became chair in 2019 in hopes of revitalizing the company, which has struggled to keep up in the era of streaming.
