David Ellison denies he has ‘politicized’ Skydance despite close Trump links

David Ellison, CEO of the newly merged Skydance media company, denied politicizing the company despite his close relationship with the Trump administration. Speaking at a press briefing following the merger of Paramount Skydance with Warner Bros Discovery, Ellison stated he maintains good relationships with politicians across the aisle, including President Biden and Senator Tim Scott, emphasizing the importance of engaging with all parties. He clarified that Skydance has not discussed news content with any political leaders, asserting a commitment to editorial independence for CNN and CBS News. Ellison expressed confidence in CNN CEO Mark Thompson and CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who will continue in their roles. He indicated that the company will spend the coming months assessing potential synergies from the merger, with most expected savings not stemming from job losses.

Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have finalized their $110 billion merger, forming a new company named Skydance, which began trading on Wall Street on Tuesday. This merger brings together major entertainment entities, including CNN and CBS News, under one corporate umbrella. Skydance CEO David Ellison has appointed Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO. The deal faced legal challenges from unions and state attorneys general, but was settled with an agreement to appoint an independent editorial board to oversee both news networks, addressing concerns about potential skewed coverage. Mark Thompson will remain CNN's editor-in-chief, and Bari Weiss will continue as CBS News' editor-in-chief. Despite these appointments, uncertainties remain regarding future operations, potential layoffs, and consolidation due to the combined company's significant debt.

Paramount is acquiring Warner Bros. in an $110 billion deal that will merge CBS News and CNN under one corporate entity. This consolidation aims to address concerns about journalistic independence by establishing a news editorial independence board appointed by Paramount. However, media advocates and legal experts express skepticism about the board's effectiveness, with some calling it "worthless" and a form of government meddling. Staff at both CNN and CBS News fear significant job losses due to anticipated cost-cutting measures by Paramount's CEO, David Ellison. Despite these concerns, CNN boss Mark Thompson and CBS News's editor-in-chief Bari Weiss are expected to remain in their roles.