Paramount's latest chief lauds 'South Park' amid ongoing spat with Trump
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given the green light to the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, allowing the transaction to close in early August 2025. The FCC's approval focuses on ensuring that the broadcast stations, including CBS, owned by Paramount, will continue to act in the public trust.
However, no information in the available search results indicates that Paramount has made any commitments to hire an ombudsman for CBS as part of the FCC review for this merger.
The $1.5 billion deal, which includes 50 new episodes of "South Park" and exclusive streaming rights to the show, was approved by the FCC. The Trump administration was involved in reviewing the merger due to Paramount owning CBS stations licensed by the FCC.
The administration still has at least one way to exercise power over Paramount, even after the company struck a settlement with Trump. The cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" has raised concerns about whether new management will support news coverage and entertainment content that criticizes Trump.
In a positive note, Paramount's new CEO, David Ellison, views "South Park" as a valuable asset for the company. Ellison, a long-time fan of the show's creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, believes that "South Park," including its back catalog of hundreds of episodes, will help grow the Paramount+ streaming service.
Ellison has made a commitment to hire an ombudsman at CBS to review charges of bias, according to some sources. However, this commitment was not mentioned as part of the FCC review for the merger.
The Trump administration approved the merger days after the settlement was finalized. Ellison declined to confirm or deny whether he agreed to air public service announcements for Trump-aligned causes.
The deal with "South Park" comes as the show has emerged as one of the most scathing critics of President Trump on US television. Trump has tried to bully media critics, including Paramount, this year.
The former owners of Paramount were accused of bribery after settling Trump's lawsuit against "60 Minutes" last month. The FCC chair, Brendan Carr, a Trump loyalist, has an open case involving CBS - a "news distortion" complaint that was leveled against "60 Minutes."
Ellison praised the creators of "South Park" and pointed to a recent five-year deal with their production company as evidence of investment in growth areas. He emphasized that the company complies with all laws, including anti-bribery laws.
In a statement, Ellison stated that he does not want to politicize the company in any way. He reiterated that they will continue to produce high-quality content that appeals to a wide audience.
This merger marks a significant shift in the media landscape, and it will be interesting to see how the new management navigates the challenges and opportunities that come with it.
- Despite the FCC's approval of the Paramount Global and Skydance Media merger focusing on public trust, there is no information indicating that Paramount committed to hiring an ombudsman for CBS as part of the review.
- Paramount's new CEO, David Ellison, has made a commitment to hire an ombudsman at CBS, according to some sources, but this commitment was not mentioned as part of the FCC review for the merger.
