Skydance Media has responded to an inquiry from three left-wing U.S. senators who expressed concerns about “bribery” with respect to the Trump administration’s approval of its deal to acquire Paramount Global — and had questioned whether Skydance had any part in the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”
In a July 21 letter to Skydance CEO David Ellison, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden asked a series of pointed questions about Skydance’s Paramount deal. Among those: “Is there currently any arrangement under which you or Skydance will provide compensation, advertising, or promotional activities that in any way assist President Trump, his family, his presidential library, or other Administration officials?” The letter also asked, “Were you or other Skydance executives involved in discussions about canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert?”
In a reply sent Thursday (July 31) to the senators obtained by Variety, Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, Skydance’s general counsel and co-president of business operations, said in part, “Throughout its history and during the review of the proposed acquisition of Paramount, Skydance has fully complied with all applicable laws, including our nation’s anti-bribery laws.”
Skydance was “not involved” in CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” according to McKinnon. “Paramount did provide notice of its decision to Skydance [about Colbert’s show being canceled], but only after Paramount reached its own independent decision, and shortly before Paramount publicly acknowledged the cancellation.” CBS said the cancellation of Colbert’s show was “purely a financial decision.”
The senators’ letter also noted that Trump has claimed he had a side deal with Skydance under which the new owners of the merged company are expected to contribute $20 million in advertising, public service announcements and “similar programming” that promote causes he favors. That purportedly would be in addition to Paramount’s $16 million payment to settle his lawsuit accusing “60 Minutes” of deceptively editing a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
In the letter, McKinnon didn’t directly address the question of whether Skdyance has a “side deal” with the president for free advertising or other airtime. She wrote, “Skydance was neither a party to the lawsuit nor to Paramount’s settlement of its litigation with the President.” Paramount has said that its settlement with Trump — under which most of the $16 million will go to his future presidential library — “does not include PSAs or anything related to PSAs. Paramount has no knowledge of any promises or commitments made to President Trump other than those set forth in the settlement proposed by the mediator and accepted by the parties.”
Under the transaction agreement, according to McKinnon, “Paramount had full discretion to settle any outstanding litigation unrelated to the transaction for up to $50 million without Skydance’s consent.” On July 1, Paramount requested Skydance’s consent “to only one particular term relating to the publication of transcripts of interviews of Presidential candidates. Skydance did not believe its consent was required, but acceded to Paramount’s request and provided it,” McKinnon wrote.
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Two days before the FCC approved the Skydance-Paramount deal, which is now set to close Aug. 7, Skydance’s McKinnon sent two letters to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. In one, she said Skydance would install an ombudsman at CBS to review “complaints of bias or other concerns” as part of ensuring “viewpoint diversity.” In the other, she said Skydance confirmed that Paramount eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, that Skydance doesn’t have DEI initiatives and that the company committed to not implement any in the future.
In her July 31 letter to the senators, McKinnon reiterated that “Skydance is committed to promoting non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity and fully complying with applicable laws.”
She also wrote, “Skydance believes in unbiased journalism and embraces a broad range of viewpoints. Upon closing of the acquisition, these guiding principles will ensure that editorial decision-making at CBS News reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers. Skydance likewise believes all content should reflect independent editorial judgment and be free from government intrusion and politicization.”
“As with any transaction that requires regulatory approval, Skydance executives and its representatives have had routine and customary interactions with government officials, including with the Administration, Congress, and federal regulators,” McKinnon concluded in the letter to Warren, Sanders and Wyden. “We value productive relationships across all levels of government and look forward to strengthening those, including with you and your colleagues, in the months and years ahead.”
From Variety US