The FCC approves Paramount’s $8B deal with Skydance after months of chaos and political intrigue

Photo: The iconic Melrose Avenue entrance gate of Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood, California – October 6, 2009. Photo credit: Martin H Emes via Flickr. CC BY 2.0. Article by Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Michael Liedtke. AP News – updated July 25, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue. The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump’s legal battle with “60 Minutes,” the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to pay a $16 million settlement with the president. […]

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