Following Paramount’s $16 million pay out to settle a lawsuit brought on by President Donald Trump against CBS, two democratic lawmakers have again urged FCC leaders to bring consideration of the media company’s proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Media up for a full commission vote on any approval order, contending a need for transparency around the unique situation.
Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), members of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, last week sent a letter to Republican FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty pushing for a full Commission vote on the pending merger, rather than unilaterally directing the Media Bureau to approve the transaction on its delegated authority.
It echoes similar calls made to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a separate letter (PDF) sent by the same senators in May, which took issue with the president’s lawsuit against CBS related to alleged editing practices of a 60 Minutes interview with then-U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Paramount’s willingness for a then-potential settlement, emphasizing that “the unique position of this merger necessitates the utmost transparency at the FCC.”
In the letter sent to Trusty, who was confirmed to the FCC in June, the senators again cast doubt on the president’s lawsuit, which they categorized as “baseless,” while the CBS-parent seeks FCC approval of the Skydance merger and also suggested the Trump administration has made efforts “to attack news organizations and intimidate the media.” And the senator’s letter took issue with Paramount’s recent decision to settle the litigation for $16 million, to be paid to the president’s future presidential library.
With the merger pending, the senators argue Paramount's settlement "raises serious questions about Paramount’s rationale for the settlement and its implications for media independence. For that reason, we urge you to insist that the FCC conduct its merger review with the utmost transparency, including holding a full Commission vote on any order to approve the merger."
Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez has similarly called for a full Commission vote on the merger.
Ahead of the settlement, Paramount’s merger had already been delayed and the company would be on the hook for a $400 million break-up fee if the deal is terminated.
“This settlement casts a shadow over the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger and raises serious questions about the editorial independence of one of the nation’s largest media organizations. The Commission cannot turn a blind eye to this context,” wrote the senators.
“We respectfully request you to join [Commissioner Gomez] and encourage Chairman Carr to schedule a full Commission vote,” the letter to Trusty continued. “The FCC owes the public a transparent, deliberative process on such a high-profile and controversial issue.”