The United States Federal Communications Commission has begun discussions with Paramount Global over the steps the company would be required to take to secure the agency’s approval for its merger with Skydance Media.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story, one area of discussion is a commitment that the company continues to abstain from particular corporate diversity initiatives. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously urged telecom and media companies to limit their diversity, equity and inclusion policies as a precondition for the agency to consider mergers and acquisitions.
Separately, Carr has said that a complaint over the way an interview with Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris was interviewed might also be considered as part of the review process.
On April 30 discussions will begin on a $20 billion lawsuit being brought by the US president against CBS. On Tuesday 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens resigned, saying he feared the independence the programme had enjoyed – even from the CBS News division – was about to be brought to an end.
The FCC has an interest in the Paramount-Skydance deal because would involve the transfer of broadcast television licenses held by the CBS network.
In July last year, Skydance and its investors agreed to spend more than $8 billion in the acquisition of National Amusements, the Redstone family company that was in control of Paramount.
