CBS News Executives and Justice Department Head Meet Amid Paramount Acquisition Review

The gathering included executives and leading journalists from CBS News, which Paramount owns, and the head of the Justice Department, which is reviewing the acquisition, according to reports of a private event in Washington involving former President Donald Trump and David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media.

The event, described as a private party, took place in Washington and brought together key figures from CBS News leadership and Justice Department officials overseeing the regulatory review of Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Paramount Global, which owns CBS.

David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, has been leading Skydance Media’s effort to acquire Paramount Global in a deal valued at approximately $8 billion. The transaction has drawn scrutiny due to concerns over media consolidation and potential political influence, particularly given Larry Ellison’s known support for Donald Trump.

Skydance has sought to address regulatory concerns by emphasizing a commitment to “American storytelling” and an “unbiased” editorial direction for CBS News, as stated in filings with the Federal Communications Commission. In meetings with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Ellison and Skydance’s general counsel affirmed their intent to reflect diverse ideological perspectives among American viewers.

The company has also sought to alleviate fears about foreign influence, noting that Tencent’s stake in Skydance would be non-voting and represent less than 5% of any restructured Paramount entity. Paramount, which also owns Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures, and other media assets, has not publicly commented on the internal dynamics of the ongoing negotiations.