If the deal moves forward, it would put another of America’s flagship news networks – CNN – under the control of the Ellison family, which has a friendly relationship with the White House.
That has already sparked alarm in the US among Democrats and media advocates, who fear it will lead to more cautious coverage of the Trump administration.
They point to the changes Ellison has made in recent months at the news network CBS, which he took over as part of the Paramount merger, such as naming someone to police bias at the network. His tenure has also included workforce reductions, naming of a new editor-in-chief known for opinion writing, and clashes with journalists over issues of editorial independence.
The Ellison family is already reported to have discussed changes to the network with President Donald Trump, who is known for his attacks on CNN. In December, he called for the channel to be sold, saying its leaders were either “corrupt or incompetent”.
“I don’t think CNN would become Fox News overnight,” says Seth Stern, chief advocate at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, noting that there are already several popular news outlets serving right-wing audiences. “But coverage could be softened, critiques of the Trump administration could be reduced, hosts that are known for being particularly critical… could be fired.”
Rodney Benson, a media professor at New York University, called the deal “concerning”, would leave America’s largest media companies further concentrated in the hands of conservatives. Many of those owners, including the Ellison family, have separate, non news-related business interests that depend on government contracts or regulation and are therefore particularly vulnerable to pressure, he adds.
“This is not just an ideological shift, it’s a threat to democracy and the rule of law,” he says.
One of the most important changes will be whom Ellison names editor-in-chief, he adds, a selection that will set the tone for what follows.
“He is going to make this choice knowing that Donald Trump is watching,” he says.