Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Ben Ray Lujan are demanding a full FCC Commission vote on the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger. Their concern stems from Paramount's recent $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over his "election interference" lawsuit against CBS, a Paramount subsidiary. The senators argue this settlement raises serious questions about CBS News's editorial independence, especially as Trump, a sitting President, is litigating against a news organization seeking FCC approval for a major merger.
Democratic senators demand full FCC vote on Paramount-Skydance merger following Trump’s CBS settlement
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Ben Ray Lujan are demanding a full FCC Commission vote on the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger. Their concern stems from Paramount's recent $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over his "election interference" lawsuit against CBS, a Paramount subsidiary. The senators argue this settlement raises serious questions about CBS News's editorial independence, especially as Trump, a sitting President, is litigating against a news organization seeking FCC approval for a major merger.
Trending- 1 2024: Trump's lawsuit over "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris.
- 2 Earlier this year: Olivia Trusty nominated as FCC Commissioner.
- 3 Last week (early July 2025): CBS and Paramount agreed to settle Trump’s lawsuit.
- 4 Thursday (July 10, 2025): Senators Markey and Lujan sent letter to FCC.
- 5 Future: FCC approval of Paramount-Skydance merger.
- Increased scrutiny and potential delay for the Paramount-Skydance merger, public debate over media independence and political influence on regulatory bodies.
What: Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Ben Ray Lujan are demanding a full Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vote on the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger.
When: Thursday (July 10, 2025) for the letter. Settlement last week (early July 2025). Trump's lawsuit over "60 Minutes" interview last year (2024). Olivia Trusty nominated earlier this year.
Where: United States (FCC, Congress, media companies).
Why: The senators believe Paramount's $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over his "election interference" lawsuit against CBS raises serious questions about the editorial independence of CBS News and the transparency of the merger review process, especially given Trump's active litigation against a company seeking FCC approval.
How: Senators Markey and Lujan sent a letter to FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty, urging a full Commission vote instead of approval by delegated authority.