The Skydance-Paramount deal raises thorny questions about media bias

Following months of scrutiny, the FCC recently approved Skydance Media's $8 billion acquisition of CBS-owner Paramount. And the deal is raising eyebrows among opponents of the Trump admin over certain conditions related to bias in mainstream media.

What Skydance promised

In order to secure FCC approval of the deal, now set to close next Thursday, new Skydance owner David Ellison made a series of commitments and assurances to the Trump admin.

They include pledges to:

• Have Paramount-owned CBS News commit to unbiased journalism and ensure that its “editorial decision-making reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers.”
• Install an ombudsman—or independent reviewer—at CBS News for “any complaints of bias or other concerns.”
• Shelve all current and future DEI programs at Paramount.

Supporters of the deal, including FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, praised Skydance’s changes and framed them as restoring public confidence in CBS by “root[ing] out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media."

But…Critics say Skydance’s commitments show the Trump admin is using the FCC to create a "pay-for-play regulatory environment" where approval depends on currying favor with the President.

• Paramount obtained the FCC’s go-ahead to merge less than a month after reaching a $16 million settlement with Trump, who sued over allegations that CBS deceptively edited a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
• The merger approval also came a week after Paramount canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where Trump is frequently a topic of criticism. (Though the show is losing a reported $40 million/year.)

Big picture: Analysts say the Skydance-Paramount merger signals a shift in how media and government interact. And depending on who you ask, that either represents necessary accountability for media companies, or a troubling precedent for the future.

📊 Flash poll: Which of the following best describes your opinion regarding media bias in the US?

• There is a great deal of bias in media
• There is a fair amount of bias in media
• There isn’t very much bias in media
• Unsure/other