In Washington’s regulatory halls, signs are emerging that the FCC might be warming up to Skydance Media’s high-stakes merger with Paramount—thanks, in part, to a pledge for a newsroom makeover at CBS.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr offered measured praise after a commission meeting, saying he was “very pleased” with Skydance’s promise to implement “serious changes” at CBS if the \$8.4 billion merger moves forward. While the agency hasn’t issued a ruling yet, Carr’s remarks mark a notable signal amid a politically charged atmosphere.
Among Skydance’s promises: appointing an ombudsman to independently field complaints about bias in CBS News programming, a role that would stay in place for at least two years. The company also signaled a move toward what it calls “fact-based journalism” and said it would tackle longstanding concerns about editorial slant—concerns amplified by recent polls showing public trust in national media at historic lows.
“I think that would be a good thing,” Carr said of the proposed changes. “They’ve committed to addressing bias issues. They’ve committed to embracing fact-based journalism.”
Meanwhile, Paramount, which owns CBS, has kept a low profile on the matter—declining to comment, even as it recently shelled out \$16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Donald Trump over a controversial *60 Minutes* interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The company did not admit fault, but the case was formally dismissed this week.
Trump, who has long railed against perceived bias in mainstream media, has also led a broader crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts—pressuring private corporations to dismantle such initiatives. The FCC, for its part, has already required companies like Verizon and T-Mobile to shutter DEI programs before greenlighting major mergers.
Still, Carr said the Trump lawsuit didn’t influence the FCC’s deliberations on the Skydance-Paramount tie-up, despite its high-profile nature and the political heat surrounding CBS News.
As for the timeline? Uncertain. The 180-day informal review period came and went in May with no decision. But behind the scenes, momentum is building: Skydance and its backers are set to buy out National Amusements, the Redstone family’s holding company that controls Paramount, and merge Skydance directly into the entertainment giant. David Ellison, son of tech billionaire Larry Ellison and current Skydance CEO, is in line to take over as Paramount’s next chief executive.
Whether these pledges are enough to win over the full commission remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the future of CBS may look very different if this deal goes through.
