The head of entertainment group Skydance \u2014 poised to take over media conglomerate Paramount Global \u2014 told federal officials he is pursuing a focus on \u201cAmerican storytelling\u201d while touting a new, \u201cunbiased\u201d editorial direction for CBS News.<\/p>\n
David Ellison, Skydance\u2019s CEO, met with Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr to seek approval for his firm\u2019s long-in-the-making merger with Paramount, according to a letter from a Skydance lawyer included in a federal filing<\/a>. The transaction has roiled Paramount subsidiary CBS News and its longtime crown jewel, \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d amid fights over its editorial independence. Ellison is the son of tech billionaire Larry Ellison, a major supporter of President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n David Ellison and Skydance\u2019s general counsel said they expressed their commitment to embracing \u201cdiverse viewpoints\u201d that will reflect \u201cthe varied ideological perspectives of American viewers,\u201d according to the filing. They also also addressed concerns about potential Chinese influence, saying that China-based tech giant Tencent, which holds a stake in Skydance, will own only a non-voting, passive interest in any new version of Paramount of less than 5%. <\/p>\n Paramount, which also owns Comedy Central and its namesake movie studio, among other major media entities, declined to comment.<\/p>\n Since Skydance announced its intention to merge with Paramount in an $8 billion transaction a year ago, the deal has faced multiple delays \u2014 first under the outgoing Biden administration, then under Trump. The president accused CBS News\u2019 marquee program, \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d of distorting an interview with Democratic opponent Kamala Harris during the 2024 election and subsequently filed a lawsuit. While many legal experts viewed the suit as frivolous, media reports said Paramount boss Shari Redstone favored exploring a settlement<\/a> with Trump as a way to overcome further regulatory hurdles. The settlement, for $16 million<\/a>, was announced earlier this month. <\/p>\n The settlement, and the negotiations leading up to it, rankled several high-profile members of CBS. \u201c60 Minutes\u201d correspondent Scott Pelley said in June that such an agreement would be \u201cvery damaging\u201d to CBS and Paramount. In April, longtime \u201c60 Minutes\u201d editor Bill Owens stepped down, citing the program\u2019s loss of editorial independence<\/a>. CBS News boss Wendy McMahon quit a month later. <\/a><\/p>\n On Monday\u2019s episode of \u201cThe Late Show,\u201d host Stephen Colbert, a frequent Trump critic, blasted the agreement as a \u201cbig fat bribe.\u201c<\/p>\n On Thursday, CBS said it would cancel the 32-year-old late night franchise, effective in May, for financial reasons. Media newsletter Status News had previously reported<\/a> the possibility of a Colbert cancellation being framed as a cost-cutting move.<\/p>\n