David Ellison, the new CEO of Paramount, referred to what he called a “challenging period” for CBS News, while praising the division’s “long tradition of impactful reporting,” including the legacy of 60 Minutes.As Ellison’s Skydance finally completed its merger with Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, his open letter referred to what has been a turbulent time for the news division.“We recognize it’s been a challenging period and we’re deeply grateful for your resilience, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the news business,” Ellison wrote. “We take immense pride in CBS News’ legacy of impactful journalism and look forward to continuing to foster a newsroom culture where journalists are empowered, trusted, and equipped to do their best work.”The news division was at the center of coverage of regulatory approval of the transaction. After Donald Trump sued 60 Minutes over the way that it edited an interview with Kamala Harris, Paramount initially fought back, characterizing the lawsuit as meritless. But last month, they settled the lawsuit for $16 million, to be paid to Trump’s future presidential library. Later in July, the FCC approved the transaction, after Skydance committed to hiring an ombudsman to take complaints over alleged bias, among other things, as well as viewpoint diversity “across the political and ideological spectrum.”In the open letter, Ellison did not refer to the Skydance commitments. Instead, he referred to the legacy of the news brand, while praising its journalists.“CBS News – home to one of the most storied American broadcast journalism legacies in America, including 60 Minutes, with a long tradition of impactful reporting led by seasoned journalists committed to accuracy, integrity, and public trust,” he wrote.As the merger faced regulatory approval and Paramount engaged in settlement talks with Trump, staffers in the news division were in a perpetual state of consternation, while Democratic lawmakers raised the prospect that of a violation of anti-bribery laws. In April, Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, resigned, citing his inability to make decisions free from corporate control. Several weeks later, Wendy McMahon, who had overseen CBS News and Stations, also exited. complaints over alleged bias, among other things, as well as viewpoint diversity “across the political and ideological spectrum.”It’s unclear if the new Paramount will seek to install a new executive in the news division to take on McMahon’s role. Tom Cibrowski is president and executive editor of CBS News, a role that in the past did not have an additional layer of oversight.Meanwhile, the sole Democrat on the FCC, Anna Gomez, again blasted Skydance-Paramount for “capitulation” to Trump to get the merger approved. She cited the Skydance commitments for the news division.In a statement, she said that 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.”
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