Report: FCC On The Paramount-Skydance Deal: Ditch DEI

Charles Gasparino, a senior correspondent for Fox Business Network and columnist for the New York Post, is reporting the FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, is likely to approve the $8 billion Paramount-Skydance merger if the combined company eliminates its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. 

The story, posted by Gasparino on X and published in the New York Post, aligns with Carr’s broader stance against DEI initiatives, which he has publicly stated could block media and telecom mergers.

Gasparino’s report highlights that the FCC’s review of the Paramount-Skydance deal, which involves transferring CBS broadcast licenses, has been delayed due to regulatory scrutiny, including concerns over DEI policies and a separate “news distortion” complaint tied to CBS’s editing of a Kamala Harris interview on 60 Minutes. He notes that Paramount had already scaled back some DEI initiatives in February 2025 to comply with the Trump administration’s directives, and the FCC’s condition to further dismantle these policies is part of a checklist for merger approval. 

Sources cited by Gasparino indicate that this requirement is a significant challenge for media companies, described as a “bitter pill” for those with progressive corporate cultures.

The report also contextualizes the deal’s progress, noting that the SEC and European Commission approved the merger in February 2025, but the FCC’s ongoing review, now extended to July 7, 2025, remains the primary hurdle. Gasparino suggests that Skydance CEO David Ellison and backers like RedBird Capital are navigating this regulatory landscape, with the DEI condition being a critical factor in securing FCC approval.

No specific details from Gasparino’s report indicate whether Paramount-Skydance has formally agreed to ditch DEI policies, but earlier reports confirm Paramount’s willingness to limit DEI efforts to advance the merger. The article underscores the political sensitivities of the deal, given FCC Chairman Carr’s alignment with Trump’s anti-DEI agenda and the involvement of Trump ally Larry Ellison, whose son David leads Skydance