Paramount and Skydance Merger Approved By FCC

After paying a $16 million bribe and agreeing to end all DEI programs, the FCC has finally approved the $8 billion merger of Paramount and Skydance. Before complain, I am not injecting politics, this comes from the FCC. 

 “...Skydance has made written commitments to ensure that the new company’s programming embodies a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum. Skydance will also adopt measures that can root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media. These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage. Doing so would begin the process of earning back Americans’ trust. Today’s decision also marks another step forward in the FCC’s efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI.” 

Now that the political part of the merger is done, the financial part is expected to close on August 7 with the official name being "Paramount Skydance Corporation", with David Ellison in charge of it. He is the son of billionaire Larry Ellison who founded Oracle. What this means for Hollywood and Star Trek fans is a big question mark. 

What can be assumed is massive cuts and layoffs are coming as financial backer of this deal, RedBird Capital, say they identified $2 billion in savings from the merger. Speculation on how they reach that number, outside of layoffs, include selling parts of the company such as various studio properties and their cable network (BET, MTV, Nickelodeon, Showtime and others). This will also likely mean across the board budget cuts and cancellations of TV shows and movies including in production ones (like say The Late Show with Stephen Colbert). 

What does this mean for Star Trek? Skydance co-produced Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond so they have a connection which is not nothing but that doesn't indicate future decisions. Chances are with contracts signed and budgets already allocated, the current production slate of Star Trek shows will be allowed to run their current course. Even if it takes time, Star Trek always makes its money back. That means Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will complete its five seasons and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be able to complete the second season. After that? Its up in the air.