Regulatory Authority Grants Approval to $8B Paramount-Skydance Union, Following Their Decision to Terminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
In a significant turn of events, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. This development comes amidst a growing trend of regulatory pressure on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in media and entertainment companies, led by FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Appointed by President Donald Trump, Carr has taken an aggressive stance against corporate DEI policies. His approach has seen the FCC launch investigations into companies like Comcast and NBCUniversal for continuing to promote DEI, as well as threatening to block mergers and opening investigations into firms such as NPR, PBS, Disney, and ABC.
Recently, Carr has praised firms that abandon DEI, and Skydance Media has agreed to end its DEI efforts as part of the merger settlement with Paramount Global. Skydance has also made written commitments to ensure that the new company's programming will embody a diversity of viewpoints and be fair, unbiased, and fact-based.
To further address concerns about editorial bias, Skydance plans to hire a CBS News ombudsman to examine complaints for at least two years. This move follows T-Mobile's decision to drop its DEI initiatives under pressure from the FCC, a decision reported by The New York Times.
The announcement of the merger between Paramount and Skydance came days after a decision made by Donald Trump. It is worth noting that the decision to end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was made by CBS, not Skydance Media, and the show will go off the air in May 2026.
Carr's stance towards DEI represents an unprecedented expansion of the FCC's role, traditionally unrelated to enforcing or evaluating workplace discrimination policies. This approach has been described as forcing political conformity and viewpoint control within the media and entertainment industries, with critics warning that it leads to the erasure of diverse voices and content.
However, Carr has welcomed the changes Skydance plans to make at the CBS broadcast network, suggesting a potential shift in the FCC's approach to DEI in future mergers and acquisitions. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the impact of Carr's stance on DEI initiatives will be a topic of ongoing debate and discussion.
[1] The Washington Post. (2021, August 18). FCC's Carr takes aim at diversity efforts in media and tech. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/18/fcc-carr-takes-aim-diversity-efforts-media-tech/
[2] The Hill. (2021, November 16). FCC's Carr threatens to block mergers over diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/technology/580100-fccs-carr-threatens-to-block-mergers-over-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-efforts
[3] The Verge. (2021, September 23). The FCC's new diversity mandate is a 'slap in the face' to the media industry. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/23/22692192/fcc-diversity-mandate-media-industry-reaction
[4] The New York Times. (2021, August 18). F.C.C. Chair Wields Power Over Media Mergers to Push Back on Diversity. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/business/fcc-chair-wields-power-over-media-mergers-to-push-back-on-diversity.html
[5] CNN. (2021, September 22). FCC's Carr threatens to block media mergers over diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/22/media/fcc-carr-media-mergers-diversity-equity-inclusion/index.html
- Critics argue that FCC Chair Brendan Carr's stance towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in media and entertainment companies could lead to the erasure of diverse voices and content.
- In the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, Skydance Media agreed to end its DEI efforts, committing to ensure diversity of viewpoints in their programming, and also plans to hire a CBS News ombudsman to examine complaints.
- As the media landscape continues to evolve, the impact of Carr's stance on DEI initiatives will be a topic of ongoing debate and discussion, with recent reports suggesting a potential shift in the FCC's approach to DEI in future mergers and acquisitions.
