Commissioner Gomez on Closing of Paramount-Skydance Merger

August 7 marks the final chapter of a dark moment in our nation’s history. After months of cowardly capitulation, including an unprecedented payout to settle a meritless lawsuit in exchange for regulatory approval, Paramount and Skydance have completed their merger, and ‘New Paramount’ will be created. This will be a new company, born in shame after trading away fundamental First Amendment principles in pursuit of pure profit. It embraced this Administration’s radical notion that discriminatory behavior should be tolerated and even embraced, while efforts to expand opportunity for everyone should be rejected. More alarmingly, the company agreed to never-before-seen forms of government control over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment—actions that violate both the First Amendment and the law. A government-sanctioned ‘truth arbiter’ will soon arrive at CBS. Their role will be to ensure that journalists at CBS do not criticize this Administration or express views that conflict with its agenda. That should alarm anyone who values the core democratic principle of a free and independent press. I urge others to take notice and find their courage. And I will continue to call out cowardly corporate capitulation for what it is: a betrayal—not just of journalistic independence, but of the public trust.