It is somewhat ironic that last weekend, Tom Cruise released the conclusion of his long-running action movie franchise, as it has been a lengthy and arduous path for Paramount Pictures, which faces its own “Mission: Impossible.” As the entertainment giant is straining to strike a new business conglomerate, in terms of business dealings, this has been a saga with an endless string of plot twists.
The latest chapter involves the desire for resolution in a court case involving Donald Trump, but the president has come out to declare that he is rejecting an offer made by the company. His demands are creating a schism inside CBS, as internal conflicts are arising between the news division, its vaunted news program, and the top-level executive suites at Paramount. The developments have been entertaining and are only getting more dramatic.
Paramount Global – parent company of CBS – has been trying to strike a merger agreement with Skydance Media. Paramount began shopping for offers as far back as 2023 with various corporate suitors before settling on terms with Skydance – only to be met with a perpetual series of setbacks; CEO shifts and lawsuits brought by shareholders have queered things repeatedly, but now a real detour involves a bigger antagonist – the White House.
As the two companies have reached final terms, they only need governmental approval, but that was thrown into the trick-bag when Donald Trump filed a suit against CBS for campaign violations based on the infamous Kamala Harris interview that “60 Minutes” conducted ahead of the election. That hatchet job editing performance was regarded as a benefit for the Harris campaign, and the case is winding through the courts.
This legal wrangling is affecting the governmental approval process, and in an effort to sidestep further delays, the heads of Paramount have been eager to reach a deal with President Trump. They have come up with an offer of $15 million, but this has been roundly rejected. Trump has stated he will not settle for a figure less than $25 million, but there is an issue that looms deeper than the dollar figure. He also has demanded an apology to be made on the air, and this appears to be more of the impediment to a resolution.
Since the emergence of this lawsuit, the battles under the roof at CBS have become apparent. The executives are leaning on the news division to tone down the attack posture made towards the president and his administration in the hopes of quelling the litigation, and the players in that sector of CBS have been resistant. Last month, longtime “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens resigned over the pressure he was receiving from on high. Just over a week ago, the network saw the CEO of the news division, Wendy McMahon, leaving for similar issues.
This shows how the news division, and specifically the staff at “60 Minutes,” are supremely opposed to anything approaching a sober approach to things. On-air anchor Scott Pelley has taken on the role of being the rabid pit bull of the news outfit (if the monotonous cough syrup-induced delivery of Pelley could ever be described as “rabid”). He has delivered a stern rebuke of the Paramount executives on the air, and this past weekend, he was turning improperly political at a college commencement ceremony.
CBS's Scott Pelley Gets Brutally Owned for Baseless Anti-Trump Commencement Speech
Considering that this merger entails a market valuation of upwards of $8 billion, the haggling over a $10 million sum seems the lesser issue. Based on the behavior and actions from the news division and its revered news program, this call for a formal apology is one thing that will take extreme pressure to see come forth. Based on the fact that we have seen continued aggressive reporting from the news division and obstinate reactions from the “60 Minutes” team, it feels like more jobs will need to come to a conclusion — either voluntarily or by force — before the terms can be met.
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie.
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