Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

Warren Demands Probe as Skydance Denies Bribery and Role in Colbert Cancellation

Lawmakers say Skydance’s assurances fail to explain Trump’s alleged side deal, raising doubts about the merger’s regulatory safeguards

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert during Wednesday's June 25, 2025 show.
NEW YORK CITY - FEBRUARY 17: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest John Oliver during Monday's February 17, 2025 show. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
Image

Overview

  • On August 1, Sen. Elizabeth Warren branded the letters from Skydance and Paramount Global as "dodgy" and called for an independent investigation into the alleged side deal with President Trump.
  • In a July 31 letter, Skydance’s general counsel Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon asserted the company fully complied with anti-bribery laws, had no part in Trump’s $16 million CBS settlement and was not involved in canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
  • The FCC approved the $8.4 billion Skydance-Paramount merger on July 24 under conditions including the installation of a CBS News ombudsman and the elimination of Paramount’s DEI programs, with the deal set to close August 7.
  • Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden have pressed for clarity on Trump’s claim of up to $20 million in public service ad commitments, questioning whether it amounted to a bribe to secure merger approval.
  • Press freedom advocates warn that tying newsroom oversight and editorial changes to federal sign-off sets a novel precedent that could undermine journalistic independence.