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Paramount Global, also known by its trade name as simply Paramount and formerly ViacomCBS, was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, Midtown Manhattan that was in operation from December 4, 2019 to August 7, 2025.

Key Information

Established through the merger of the second incarnations of Viacom and CBS Corporation,[4] which were split from the original Viacom on December 31, 2005, it took its latest name on February 16, 2022.[5] Paramount's main properties include the namesake Paramount Pictures Corporation, the CBS Entertainment Group (consisting of the CBS television network and television stations as well as The CW and other CBS-branded assets), the BET Media Group (which oversees BET and its sister channels), Paramount Media Networks (consisting of locally-based cable television networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CMT, Paramount Network and Showtime) and Paramount Streaming (including Paramount+ and Pluto TV). It also has an international division that manages international versions of its cable networks, as well as region-specific assets including Argentina's Telefe, Chile's Chilevisión, the United Kingdom's 5 and Australia's Network 10. From 2011 to 2023, the division also owned a 30% stake in Rainbow S.p.A. of Italy.[6] As of 2019, the company operates over 170 networks and reaches approximately 700 million subscribers in 180 countries.[7]

In 2024, National Amusements held talks for a potential merger or acquisition of Paramount Global, with Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures, Apollo Global Management, Edgar Bronfman Jr., Allen Media Group, and Skydance Media all considering acquiring the company. By June 3, Paramount reportedly agreed to merger terms with Skydance. However, by June 11, merger talks between Paramount and Skydance had fallen apart, resulting in the proposed merger being called off. The companies would later re-negotiate the deal, and on July 2, 2024, Skydance reached a preliminary agreement to form "Paramount Skydance Corporation" through a three-way merger between it, National Amusements and Paramount.[8][9] On July 24, 2025 the merger was approved, over a year after a merger agreement.[10][11] The merger was closed by August 7, 2025.[12]

Background

[edit]
Main articles: Gulf and Western Industries, Viacom (1952–2005), and Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Paramount Pictures, CBS and Viacom each had a history of being associated with one another through a series of various corporate mergers and splits.[13] Paramount Pictures was founded in 1912 as the Famous Players Film Company.[14] CBS was founded in 1927, which Paramount Pictures held a 49% ownership stake in from 1929 to 1932.[15][16] In 1952, CBS formed CBS Television Film Sales, a division which handled syndication rights for CBS's library of network-owned television series. This division was renamed CBS Films in 1958, again renamed CBS Enterprises in January 1968, and finally renamed Viacom (an acronym of Video and Audio Communications) in 1970. In 1971, this syndication division was spun off amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (these rules were eventually abolished completely in 1993).[17] In 1986, Viacom purchased MTV Networks and Showtime/The Movie Channel Inc. from Warner Communications and American Express.[18] In 1987, Viacom was acquired by theater operator company National Amusements.[19]

Paramount Communications (1989–1994) and Viacom Inc. and CBS Corporation (1994–2005)

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Main articles: Paramount Communications and CBS Corporation (1997–2000)

Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures was acquired by Gulf and Western Industries in 1966, which then re-branded itself as Paramount Communications in 1989.[20] Viacom then purchased Paramount Communications in 1994. In 1999, Viacom made its biggest acquisition to date by announcing plans to merge with its former parent CBS Corporation (the renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation, which had merged with CBS in 1995). The merger was completed in 2000, resulting in CBS reuniting with its former syndication division.

Viacom Inc. and CBS Corporation (2005–2019)

[edit]
Further information: Split of CBS Corporation and Viacom
Main articles: Viacom (2005–2019) and CBS Corporation

On December 31, 2005, Viacom was split into two companies: the second incarnation of CBS Corporation, the former's corporate successor, and the second incarnation of Viacom, which was formed as a spin-off.[21]

History

[edit]
Further information: 2019 merger of CBS and Viacom
The evolution of Paramount Skydance
Year Event
1886 Westinghouse Electric Corporation is founded as Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company
1912 Famous Players Film Company is founded
1913 Lasky Feature Play Company is founded
1914 Paramount Pictures is founded
1916 Famous Players and Lasky merge as Famous Players–Lasky and acquire Paramount
1927 Famous Players–Lasky is renamed to Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation; CBS is founded with investment from Columbia Records
1929 Paramount acquires 49% of CBS
1930 Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation is renamed to Paramount Publix Corporation
1932 Paramount sells back its shares of CBS
1934 Gulf+Western is founded as the Michigan Bumper Corporation
1935 Paramount Publix Corporation is renamed to Paramount Pictures
1936 National Amusements is founded as Northeast Theater Corporation
1938 CBS acquires Columbia Records
1950 Desilu is founded and CBS distributes its television programs
1952 CBS creates the CBS Television Film Sales division
1958 CBS Television Film Sales is renamed to CBS Films
1966 Gulf+Western acquires Paramount
1967 Gulf+Western acquires Desilu and renames it Paramount Television (now CBS Studios)
1968 CBS Films is renamed to CBS Enterprises
1970 CBS Enterprises is renamed to Viacom
1971 Viacom is spun off from CBS
1987 National Amusements acquires Viacom
1988 CBS sells Columbia Records to Sony
1989 Gulf+Western is renamed to Paramount Communications
1994 Viacom acquires Paramount Communications
1995 Paramount Television and United Television launch UPN; Westinghouse acquires CBS
1997 Westinghouse is renamed to CBS Corporation
2000 Viacom acquires UPN and CBS Corporation
2005 Viacom splits into the second CBS Corporation and Viacom
2006 Skydance Media is founded as Skydance Productions; CBS Corporation shuts down UPN and replaces it with The CW
2009 Paramount and Skydance enter an agreement to co-produce and co-finance films
2017 CBS Corporation sells CBS Radio to Entercom (now Audacy)
2019 CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merge as ViacomCBS
2022 ViacomCBS is renamed to Paramount Global
2025 Skydance acquires National Amusements and merges with Paramount Global as Paramount Skydance

Formation

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On September 29, 2016, National Amusements wrote to their in-control subsidiaries, Viacom and CBS Corporation, encouraging a merger.[22] On December 12, the deal was called off.[23]

On January 12, 2018, CNBC reported that Viacom had re-entered talks to merge back into CBS Corporation, after the merger of AT&T and Time Warner and Disney's then-proposed acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox's assets were announced. Viacom and CBS Corporation also faced heavy competition from companies such as Netflix and Amazon.[24] Shortly afterward, it was reported that the combined company could be a suitor for acquiring the media company Lionsgate (now Starz Entertainment) .[25] Viacom and Lionsgate were both interested in acquiring The Weinstein Company (TWC).[26] Following the Weinstein effect, Viacom was listed as one of 22 potential buyers that were interested in acquiring TWC.[26] They lost the bid, and on March 1, 2018, it was announced that Maria Contreras-Sweet would acquire all of TWC's assets for $500 million.[27][28] Lantern Capital would later acquire the studio.

On March 30, 2018, CBS Corporation made an all-stock offer slightly below Viacom's market value, insisting that its existing leadership, including long-time chairman and CEO Les Moonves, oversee the re-combined company. Viacom rejected the offer as too low, requesting a $2.8 billion increase and that Bob Bakish be maintained as president and COO under Moonves. These conflicts had resulted from Shari Redstone seeking more control over CBS Corporation and its leadership.[29][30]

Eventually, on May 14, 2018, CBS Corporation sued its and Viacom's parent company National Amusements and accused Redstone of abusing her voting power in the company and forcing a merger that was not supported by it or Viacom.[31][32] CBS Corporation also accused Redstone of discouraging Verizon Communications from acquiring it, which could have been beneficial to its shareholders.[33]

On May 23, 2018, Les Moonves explained that he considered the Viacom channels to be an "albatross," and while he favored more content for CBS All Access (now Paramount+), he believed that there were better deals for CBS Corporation than the Viacom deal, such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate, or Sony Pictures. Moonves also considered Bakish a threat because he did not want an ally of Shari Redstone as a board member of the combined company.[34]

On September 9, 2018, Les Moonves exited CBS Corporation following multiple accusations of sexual assault. National Amusements agreed to not propose a CBS Corporation-Viacom merger for at least two years after the date of the settlement.[35]

On May 30, 2019, CNBC reported that CBS Corporation and Viacom would explore merger discussions in mid-June 2019. CBS Corporation's board of directors was revamped with people who were open to merging; the re-merger was made possible with the resignation of Moonves, who had opposed all merger attempts. The talks had started following rumors of CBS Corporation acquiring Starz from Lionsgate.[36] Reports said that CBS Corporation and Viacom reportedly set August 8 as an informal deadline for reaching an agreement to recombine the two media companies.[37][38] CBS Corporation announced its plans to acquire Viacom as part of the re-merger deal for up to $15.4 billion.[39]

On August 2, 2019, it was reported that CBS Corporation and Viacom agreed to merge back into one entity, with both companies agreeing on the management team for the merger. Bob Bakish would serve as CEO of the combined company with the president and acting CEO of CBS Corporation, Joseph Ianniello, overseeing CBS Corporation-branded assets.[40] On August 7, 2019, CBS and Viacom separately reported their quarterly earnings as the talks about the re-merger continued.[41][42]

Initial operations

[edit]
ViacomCBS' logo used from 2019 to 2022; the logo's colors were initially inverted from 2019 to 2020

On August 13, 2019, CBS and Viacom officially announced their merger; the combined company was to be named ViacomCBS, with Shari Redstone serving as chair.[43][44][45] Upon the merger agreement, Viacom and CBS jointly announced that the transaction is expected to close by the end of 2019, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.[45] The merger required approval by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).[45]

On October 28, 2019, the merger was approved by National Amusements, which then announced the deal would close in early December; the recombined company trades its shares on Nasdaq under the symbols "VIAC" and "VIACA" after CBS Corporation delisted its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).[46][47]

On November 25, 2019, Viacom and CBS announced the merger would close on December 4 and begin trading on NASDAQ on the next day.[48][4] On December 4, 2019, Bakish confirmed that the ViacomCBS merger had closed.[49]

On December 10, 2019, days after the merger, Bakish announced that ViacomCBS would look to divest Black Rock, the building that held CBS's headquarters since 1964. He stated, "Black Rock is not an asset we need to own and we believe that money would be put to better use elsewhere."[50] On December 20, 2019, ViacomCBS agreed to acquire a 49% minority stake in the film studio Miramax from beIN Media Group for $379 million. As part of the purchase, Paramount Pictures reached a long-term deal for exclusive distribution rights to its library, and first-look agreements to co-develop new film and television projects based on Miramax-owned properties.[51]

On March 2, 2020, executive vice president Dana McClintock announced that he would depart the company after 27 years in CBS Communications.[52] On March 4, the company announced plans to potentially sell its Simon & Schuster publishing unit, with Bakish arguing that it lacked a "significant connection for our broader business".[53]

On June 19, 2020, Jaime Ondarza, formerly the senior vice president of Turner Broadcasting South Europe and Africa, became the new head of ViacomCBS Networks International for France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Middle East, Greece, and Turkey.[54] On August 4, 2020, ViacomCBS announced that the company's connected video advertising platform, EyeQ, is set to launch in fall 2020.[55]

On September 14, 2020, ViacomCBS announced an agreement to sell the CBSi-owned CNET Media Group to Red Ventures for $500 million. The deal included the eponymous CNET tech site, as well as ZDNet, GameSpot, the TV Guide digital assets, Metacritic, and Chowhound.[56][57] The deal closed on October 30, 2020.[58]

On November 17, 2020, various news outlets reported that companies such as Vivendi, Bertelsmann's Penguin Random House and News Corp's HarperCollins had considered acquiring Simon & Schuster for as much as $1.7 billion. ViacomCBS had expected the bids to be placed before November 26.[59] On November 25, 2020, Penguin Random House agreed to purchase Simon & Schuster for $2.175 billion;[60] however, the deal was blocked two years later by U.S. federal judge Florence Y. Pan.[61] On August 16, 2021, ViacomCBS announced that they had agreed to sell the CBS Building to the real estate investment and management firm Harbor Group International for $760 million, leasing the space back under a short-term lease.[62] On September 28, 2021, ViacomCBS announced that they had agreed to partner with software and data firm VideoAmp.[63] On October 28, 2021, ViacomCBS announced that they had agreed to acquire a majority stake in the Spanish-language content producer TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico.[64] On November 30, 2021, ViacomCBS announced that they had agreed to sell the CBS Studio Center to Hackman Capital Partners and Square Mile Capital Management for $1.85 billion.[65]

On January 5, 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia (whose then-owner AT&T was selling it to Discovery to form Warner Bros. Discovery) were exploring a possible sale of either a majority stake or all of The CW, and that Nexstar Media Group was considered a leading bidder.[66] Reports indicated that ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia could include a contractual commitment that would require any new owner to buy new programming from those companies, allowing them to reap some continual revenue through the network.[67] Then-network president/CEO Mark Pedowitz confirmed talks of a potential sale in a memo to CW staffers, but added that "It's too early to speculate what might happen."[68][69]

Rebranding to Paramount

[edit]

On February 15, 2022, during a presentation to investors, ViacomCBS announced that it would change its name to Paramount Global beginning the following day; in a memo to staff announcing the change, it was stated that the rebranding was intended to leverage the "iconic global name", and would "reflect who we are, what we aspire to be, and all that we stand for". The company primarily does business as simply "Paramount".[70] Following the rename, Paramount Pictures' website URL changed from paramount.com to paramountpictures.com, while Paramount took the paramount.com URL.

Nexstar announced on August 15 that it would acquire a 75% majority share in The CW; the remaining 25% would be shared equally by Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.[71][72] As the deal did not require any regulatory approvals (unlike the "Big Four" networks, which includes CBS, The CW had previously never owned or controlled its own stations outside of its network service for smaller markets), Nexstar immediately took operational control of the network on the same day. The deal was closed on October 3, with CEO Mark Pedowitz stepping down and Dennis Miller taking Pedowitz's role as president of The CW.[73][74] Paramount's CBS News and Stations unit announced on May 5, 2023, that its eight CW stations would become independent on September 1, per the Nexstar buyout deal.[75] On August 7, Paramount announced that it had agreed to sell Simon & Schuster to private equity firm KKR for $1.6 billion in cash.[76] The sale was completed on October 30.[77]

Merger with Skydance Media

[edit]
Main article: Merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global

On December 20, 2023, it was reported by Axios and The New York Times that David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, had met with Bob Bakish and had discussed a possible merger. Spokespeople for the two companies stated that the talks were preliminary and may not result in a deal,[78][79] while Fox Business reported via internal sources that Zaslav was "not in deal mode".[80]

On January 10, 2024, National Amusements was reported to be considering a deal or merger regarding Paramount Global, with Skydance Media considering an all-cash bid of $2.5 billion for the earlier company.[81][82] During this time, Paramount announced it would be laying off 800 employees.[83] On February 27, 2024, CNBC reported that Warner Bros. Discovery halted the merger talks with Paramount.[84]

On April 2, 2024, Paramount and National Amusements approached Skydance for an exclusive acquisition window agreement. Shari Redstone and David Ellison sought a three-way transaction between the companies.[85] On April 18, it was reported that Sony Pictures was interested in acquiring Paramount Global through a joint buyout with Apollo.[86][87][88]

On April 29, 2024, Bob Bakish stepped down from his role as president and CEO. He was replaced by an office of the CEO, led by Brian Robbins, George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy.[89] The Los Angeles Times characterized this as an ouster by Redstone due to Bakish's reported opposition of the Skydance deal.[90] McCarthy was legally designated the company's "interim principal executive officer" in order to comply with SEC regulations stipulating that one person must conduct "the normal course of business".[91]

On May 2, Sony and Apollo submitted a non-binding offer to Paramount for a $26 billion all-cash offer, with terms unclear at that point.[92] Skydance's exclusive negotiation window ended on May 3, 2024 and was not renewed, although the company was still interested in buying Paramount. The following day, Paramount's board members met, considering a "go-shop" approach for other such offers; it was ultimately decided that they would begin negotiations regarding Sony and Apollo's offer while still holding non-exclusive talks with Skydance.[93] That same day, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett stated in an annual meeting that he had sold all of his shares in Paramount at a substantial loss.[94] By May 17, Sony and Apollo signed non-disclosure agreements allowing them to investigate Paramount's private financial information, further progressing their bid. However, at that time, the companies were reportedly backing away from their all-cash offer and were re-thinking their approach to a deal for the company's assets.[95][96]

In late May, Skydance would revise its offer to acquire National Amusements, paying $2.25 billion and stipulating that Paramount's shareholders would receive $4.5 billion in cash, with the company taking $1.5 billion in debt reduction funds, which The Wall Street Journal reported an independent committee representing Paramount had ultimately recommended.[97][98][82] By June 3, Paramount and Skydance had agreed to terms of a merger. A final deal was expected to be announced in the coming days.[99] However, at that point, Redstone's National Amusements had not formally approved the deal.[100] Redstone was reportedly displeased with the revised terms, as she would now received less money for her shares and Skydance wanted Redstone to assume legal liabilities in the case of shareholders lawsuits unhappy with the deal.[101] She considered a sale of her company to another bidder, with such names as writer and producer Steven Paul, businessman Edgar Bronfman Jr., Bain Capital, Patrón Tequila founder John Paul DeJoria and businessman Barry Diller in the running.[102][98] On June 11, National Amusements announced they had failed to reach an agreement with Skydance to acquire Paramount.[103]

By July 2, 2024, Skydance renegotiated the deal and reached a preliminary agreement to acquire National Amusements and merge with Paramount.[8] The deal was referred by National Amusements to Paramount's special committee.[104] Also, Paramount reportedly entered talks for a sale of the BET Media Group to buyers led by BET CEO Scott Mills for $1.6–$1.7 billion.[105]

On July 7, 2024, Paramount's board approved the deal to merge with Skydance.[106] Under the final deal, which has an enterprise value of $28 billion, Ellison would be appointed as chairman and CEO of what is currently being called "New Paramount" and former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell would become company president. Before finalization, Paramount Global would retain a 45-day window to shop for matching or superior offers from other bidders. Redstone will receive $2.4 billion for her share in National Amusements.[107] If Paramount were to find a better offer, Skydance would be entitled to a $400 million breakup fee payout from the company.[108] Skydance's executive team supported the potential sale of several Paramount assets which were deemed "not strategic" to their plans, including BET and others.[109]

In August 2024, Paramount announced it would lay off 15% of its U.S. workforce, amounting to about 2,000 employees. The cuts came as a result of a $6 billion write-down on its cable television networks.[110] This included the shutdown of Paramount Television Studios.[111][112] The following month, Paramount sold Vidcon to UK firm Informa.[113]

In November 2024, it was reported that Shari Redstone would leave Paramount Global after the company completed its planned merger with Skydance Media.[114] As previously announced, the merged entity will see David Ellison, founder of Skydance Media, assume the roles of chairman and CEO, while Jeff Shell, former CEO of NBCUniversal, will become president.[114] In December 2024, before merger, Paramount consolidated its television and streaming units into one.[115]

In July 2025, the company agreed to pay a $16 million bribe to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump alleging deceptive editing of its October 2024 60 Minutes interview with his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.[116][117]

A few weeks later, on July 15, the Late Show host, Stephen Colbert, called the $16 million payment "a big fat bribe" to Trump. Three days later, Paramount announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, although later reporting indicated that Colbert's talent manager had been informed of the cancellation on June 27.[118] The Writers Guild of America East and West has called for NY attorney general Letitia James to look into wrongdoing at Paramount as a result, specifically investigating whether "The Late Show’s cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval".[119]

Company units

[edit]
For a more comprehensive list, see list of assets owned by Paramount Global and list of libraries owned by Paramount Global.

Paramount Global comprised seven major units split into three business segments:

Leadership

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Paramount Global

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Paramount Global was an American multinational and conglomerate headquartered in , focused on creating and distributing content through broadcast networks, cable channels, film studios, and streaming services. Formed on December 4, 2019, via the merger of Viacom Inc. and into ViacomCBS—which rebranded to Paramount Global in February 2022—the company controlled iconic properties including the broadcast network, , , , and the platform, alongside complementary assets like Showtime and . Its operations spanned filmed , television production, and services, generating revenue from , subscriptions, and content licensing while navigating the shift from linear TV to . Amid persistent financial pressures from , high streaming deficits, and industry consolidation, Paramount Global pursued mergers and asset sales, ultimately completing an $8.4 billion transaction with on August 7, 2025, to establish Paramount Skydance Corporation under new leadership.

Historical Background

Pre-Merger Entities (Pre-2019)

traces its origins to the , established on May 8, 1912, by , who released the first full-length feature film in the United States, marking the studio's entry into the emerging Hollywood system of production and distribution. The company formalized as Corporation through partnerships involving Zukor, theater owner W.W. Hodkinson, and others, focusing on distributing films nationwide via a network of exchanges. By the , Paramount had vertically integrated, controlling production, distribution, and exhibition through owned theaters, which fueled its dominance but drew antitrust scrutiny amid the studio system's monopolistic practices. In 1948, the U.S. ruled in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. that the major studios, including Paramount, had violated the by restraining trade through and theater ownership, forcing Paramount to divest its exhibition assets by 1950. This separation of production from exhibition, driven by regulatory enforcement rather than internal strategy, shifted Paramount toward independent financing and distribution deals, adapting to post-war market fragmentation while retaining its library of classic films. Viacom originated as a 1971 spin-off from to comply with rules prohibiting broadcast networks from owning syndication rights to their programming, ensuring separation of content ownership from airing to promote competition. This regulatory mandate, rooted in the FCC's Financial Interest and Syndication Rules, allowed Viacom to independently distribute off-network shows and expand into . By the , Viacom capitalized on cable's growth, launching networks such as and acquiring stakes in —debuted August 1, 1981—which drove affiliate fee revenues as multichannel video programming distributors proliferated. Viacom's trajectory accelerated with its $8.4 billion acquisition of Paramount Communications in 1994, following a bidding war, integrating and its assets into a emphasizing cable and film synergies. Pre-merger, Viacom's media networks segment saw affiliate revenues grow steadily, reaching mid-single-digit annual increases by the late 2010s, buoyed by carriage deals for channels like and amid rising cable subscription fees. CBS Corporation emerged independently on January 1, 2006, following Viacom's 2005-announced split, which separated slower-growth broadcast assets from high-growth cable properties to unlock shareholder value amid diverging business models. Retaining CBS Television Network, local stations, and initially radio holdings, CBS focused on live programming strengths like NFL broadcasts, but faced ad revenue pressures from digital fragmentation and cord-cutting; by 2018, quarterly advertising held flat or declined in non-event periods despite overall revenue upticks from retransmission consents. The company divested radio assets progressively, including a 2017 sale of Entercom stake, to concentrate on television amid shifting viewer habits.

Viacom-CBS Merger and ViacomCBS Era (2019–2022)

and Viacom Inc. announced their merger on August 13, 2019, in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $30 billion. The agreement positioned , through her family's holding company, as non-executive chair of the combined entity, reflecting her persistent advocacy for reuniting the companies split in 2006. The deal received unanimous board approval and shareholder consent, culminating in completion on December 4, 2019, to form ViacomCBS Inc., with CBS shareholders receiving 0.59625 shares of ViacomCBS for each CBS share, resulting in CBS owners holding roughly 61% of the new company. The merger's primary rationale centered on achieving operational scale to counter the dominance of streaming giants like and Disney+, whose platforms eroded traditional cable and broadcast revenues. Executives projected $500 million in annual cost synergies through streamlined operations and enhanced content monetization across platforms. ViacomCBS integrated CBS's strengths in live sports, news via , and premium cable like Showtime with Viacom's youth-oriented networks including and , alongside , enabling cross-promotional opportunities and a broader content library for distribution. Early operations emphasized streaming acceleration, with ViacomCBS rebranding CBS All Access as Paramount+ and launching it on March 4, 2021, incorporating Viacom's extensive catalog to attract subscribers amid trends. However, the from 2020 to 2021 halted productions, slashed advertising income, and led to suspended financial guidance, while the company allocated $100 million for industry relief. Integration faced headwinds from pre-merger debt totaling about $18.7 billion, which strained cash flows for content investments, compounded by efforts to consolidate overlapping executive functions and cultural differences between the legacy entities. Despite synergies, these factors highlighted the challenges of media consolidation in a shifting landscape favoring agile digital competitors.

Evolution and Rebranding

Rebranding to Paramount Global (2022)

On February 15, 2022, ViacomCBS announced its rebranding to Paramount Global, effective the following day, February 16, 2022, to consolidate its identity under the historic Paramount Pictures banner amid a shift toward streaming services. The change aimed to leverage the company's century-old film and television heritage, including franchises such as Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, to appeal to global audiences in an era dominated by digital content delivery, while phasing out the less recognizable ViacomCBS name that offered minimal consumer value. The rebranding coincided with aggressive expansion of Paramount+, which reached approximately 39.6 million subscribers by the end of the first quarter of , reflecting efforts to capitalize on legacy for subscriber acquisition in competitive streaming markets. Accompanying the name change, the company's stock tickers shifted from VIAC/VIACA to PARA/PARAA effective February 17, , signaling a market-oriented pivot to emphasize premium content branding over fragmented legacy holdings. Despite these initiatives, fourth-quarter 2022 financial results revealed persistent challenges, with total revenue declining 6% year-over-year to below $7.9 billion estimates and ongoing losses in linear television segments amid trends that saw U.S. pay-TV providers lose 5.8 million net subscribers in 2022 alone. The rebranding, while unifying corporate identity, functioned primarily as a cosmetic measure that failed to counteract underlying structural erosion from technological shifts favoring on-demand viewing over traditional cable bundles, as evidenced by sustained quarterly declines in affiliate and revenues from broadcast and cable networks.

Strategic Challenges and Declining Traditional Media Dominance

Paramount Global's cable networks, such as and under the former Viacom Media Networks, reached peak affiliate revenues exceeding $10 billion annually prior to , driven by fees from multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs). However, by 2022, advertising revenues across these networks had declined amid and audience fragmentation, with Paramount's TV Media segment reporting a 5% drop in quarterly revenues partly due to softening ad sales. Broader industry trends amplified this, as linear TV ad markets contracted 20-30% cumulatively from pre-streaming peaks, eroding the regulatory moats like rules that once insulated cable from competition. The CBS broadcasting arm depended heavily on retransmission consent fees, which grew to contribute significantly to affiliate revenues—rising 5% in 2021 through higher reverse compensation and fees from distributors. Yet these protections proved insufficient against streaming disruption, as escalating content costs exposed vulnerabilities; for instance, 's NFL rights commitments ballooned to approximately $2.1 billion annually under the 2023-2033 deal, more than doubling prior agreements and pressuring margins amid static or declining viewership in traditional windows. Critics have pointed to Paramount's persistent reliance on legacy distribution models, which overlooked the migration to on-demand, ad-free viewing, resulting in operational silos that hampered adaptability. Paramount+ exhibited higher subscriber churn rates compared to , with annual churn reaching 24% versus Netflix's lower single-digit monthly figures, attributable in part to fragmented content libraries lacking the depth of Netflix's originals. Offsetting some pressures, Paramount achieved notable success in IP licensing, generating $6.66 billion in 2022 from franchises like and Transformers, representing 22% of total revenues and providing diversified cash inflows. Nevertheless, servicing approximately $15 billion in constrained , limiting investments in streaming infrastructure and exacerbating the transition challenges from regulated broadcast and cable paradigms to market-driven digital platforms.

Key Mergers and Acquisitions

Skydance Media Merger (2024–2025)

On July 7, 2024, , led by , and Paramount Global announced a definitive merger agreement valued at $8 billion, structured as a response to Paramount's mounting financial pressures from and streaming competition. The transaction involved Skydance investors first acquiring , Paramount's controlling shareholder, for $2.4 billion in cash, followed by an all-stock merger valuing Skydance at $4.75 billion while injecting $1.5 billion in new capital to bolster Paramount's balance sheet. This framework aimed to create a standalone media entity capable of leveraging Skydance's technology-driven production capabilities, including and AI-enhanced content workflows, to counter the erosion of linear TV revenues that had left Paramount with $14.6 billion in long-term debt as of March 2024. Regulatory approval faced delays due to antitrust and broadcast licensing reviews, culminating in (FCC) consent on July 24, 2025, following a 2-1 partisan vote and commitments from the parties to address viewpoint diversity in news operations, including measures to mitigate perceived biases at amid heightened scrutiny during the Trump administration. These concessions responded to concerns over editorial practices, such as a prior $16 million settlement with former President Trump regarding a disputed interview edit, without which the deal risked further regulatory entanglement. The merger closed on August 7, 2025, forming Paramount Skydance Corporation, with Class B shares trading under the ticker "PSKY." Paramount Skydance Corporation operates as a next-generation global media and entertainment conglomerate with three core segments: Studios for filmed entertainment led by Paramount Pictures and Skydance productions; Direct-to-Consumer for streaming platforms including Paramount+ and Pluto TV; and TV Media for broadcast and cable networks such as CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, and BET. It represents the combined Paramount-Skydance assets as a major player in content creation, distribution, and streaming. Transaction-related expenses totaled $138 million for Paramount and $3 million for Skydance, reflecting integration costs that preserved operational continuity while enabling synergies in tech-infused . Pre-merger debt burdens, which had prompted warnings from Moody's, were alleviated through the capital infusion, averting risks comparable to those facing legacy peers like and amid analogous declines in cable and theatrical dominance. Critiques framing the deal as a "billionaire takeover" overlook empirical market dynamics, where unaddressed structural threats—evidenced by Paramount's $14.6 billion leverage—necessitated private investment over subsidized alternatives to sustain viability in a streaming-centric landscape.

Acquisition of The Free Press (2025)

On October 6, 2025, Paramount Global announced its acquisition of The Free Press, an independent digital news and opinion platform founded by , for approximately $150 million in cash and stock. The deal integrates The Free Press's operations into Paramount's division, with Weiss appointed as of to oversee content strategy across traditional broadcast and digital platforms. The Free Press, launched in 2021 initially as before rebranding, operates on a subscriber-funded model and has grown to over 170,000 paying subscribers by emphasizing reporting and commentary that challenges prevailing institutional narratives on topics including policies, gender ideology, and online . This approach, akin to Substack's independent ecosystem, reflects demonstrated market demand for content diverging from the uniformity observed in legacy outlets, where empirical scrutiny of consensus views is often sidelined. The platform's expansion, with total subscribers exceeding 1.5 million including free tiers, underscores viability outside ad-dependent models vulnerable to advertiser pressures or editorial conformity. Strategically, the acquisition bolsters Paramount's digital news portfolio on Paramount+, complementing CBS's established broadcast assets amid declining linear TV viewership, by incorporating The Free Press's heterodox perspective to address criticisms of one-sided reporting in programs like . The move aligns with Paramount's Q2 2025 revenue of $6.85 billion, which showed streaming gains despite traditional media headwinds, positioning the company to diversify into subscriber-driven journalism that prioritizes causal evidence over ideological alignment. Critics from media watchdogs have framed such integrations as corporate dilution of independence, yet the transaction empirically validates consumer preference for outlets countering systemic biases in academia and mainstream journalism, rather than evidencing .

Hostile Takeover Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (2026)

In January 2026, Paramount Skydance launched an amended hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery valued at approximately $108 billion, backed by the Ellison family including commitments from billionaire Larry Ellison. Warner Bros. Discovery's board unanimously rejected the offer on January 7, deeming it inferior to Netflix's preexisting $72 billion agreement to acquire Warner Bros.' studio and streaming business, announced December 5, 2025, and citing factors beyond price including regulatory risks and strategic fit, while describing it as a risky, debt-heavy leveraged buyout lacking adequate shareholder protections.

Corporate Structure and Operations

Film and Entertainment Divisions

serves as the primary film production and distribution arm within Paramount Global's entertainment divisions, tracing its origins to as one of the enduring major Hollywood studios. The division has released over 2,000 feature films, with output encompassing live-action blockbusters, animations, and co-productions that prioritize high-budget spectacles amid volatile box-office returns. A standout performer was (2022), directed by and starring , which generated $1.496 billion in worldwide gross revenue against an estimated production budget of $170 million, marking one of the studio's largest hits and demonstrating the enduring appeal of established franchises with practical effects and theatrical spectacle. In contrast, Mission: Impossible - Part One (2023), also starring Cruise with a reported $291 million budget inflated by extensive location shoots and stunts, earned $571 million globally, falling short of thresholds after marketing costs and underscoring how escalating production expenses—often exceeding $200 million for action sequels—amplify financial risks in an era of audience fragmentation. Theatrical economics shifted post-COVID-19, with Paramount adopting hybrid models that curtail exclusive window periods to as little as 30-45 days before streaming availability on Paramount+, driven by empirical evidence of revenue cannibalization from and immediate digital access alternatives, which correlate with 10-20% drops in overall box-office hauls per industry analyses of shortened windows. In , domestic theatrical grosses for totaled $881 million, bolstered by releases like Mean Girls and Bob Marley: One Love, yet this figure remained constrained by broader market contraction and the pivot to diversified revenue streams beyond pure exhibition. Integration with following the 2025 merger enhances the division's output through joint ventures, including ongoing installments and potential expansions in animation and gaming-tied films, where Skydance's prior collaborations on Paramount-distributed titles like contributed to cost-sharing on exceeding $200 million while yielding scalable IP extensions. and augment live-action efforts with family-targeted productions, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), which grossed $182 million worldwide on a modest $65 million , leveraging Nickelodeon-owned properties that have cumulatively generated over $17 billion in franchise value across media, though film-specific returns remain secondary to licensing and merchandise . These units emphasize efficient pipelines for animated content, with output focused on theatrical viability amid streaming , where indicates hybrid kids' releases preserve ancillary revenues from toy tie-ins and consumer products exceeding $1 billion annually for core IPs like .

Television Networks and Broadcasting

Paramount Global's television operations center on the broadcast network as its flagship linear asset, supplemented by a portfolio of cable channels under , including , , , CMT, and . delivers programming such as scripted series like NCIS and sports events including NFL games, generating significant audience draw amid broader linear TV erosion. CBS maintains robust viewership for marquee content, with NFL regular-season games averaging 19.2 million viewers in the 2024-2025 season, while top series like Tracker averaged 17.34 million total viewers across platforms. NCIS episodes typically draw 5.8 to 8 million viewers, contributing to CBS's dominance in total audience rankings for the 2024-2025 broadcast season. These figures underscore CBS's reliance on high-engagement formats, though overall network primetime audiences have contracted due to and streaming shifts. Affiliate fees, a key pillar derived from retransmission with distributors, supported CBS's local station model, with industry-wide retransmission reaching $15.1 billion in 2023 before flattening in subsequent years amid negotiations for fixed or percentage-based structures. The cable segment, encompassing MTV (music and reality), Comedy Central (comedy), and BET (urban entertainment), peaked at widespread household penetration during the bundling era but faces subscriber erosion as pay-TV households project to fall to 47.8 million by 2027. Linear viewership for broadcast and cable combined dipped below 50% of total TV usage by mid-2025, with Nielsen reporting 44.6% share in September 2025 after months of decline, reflecting a 10-15% year-over-year drop in many cable demos driven by fragmentation. These networks depend on affiliate fees as a subsidized , where bundled inflates payouts beyond pure viewership merit, masking underlying audience attrition. Sports broadcasting highlights profitability, as evidenced by ad slots commanding up to $8 million for 30 seconds in 2025, with CBS's prior packages yielding high margins from scarcity value despite rising rights costs. However, operational critiques include elevated expenses from prior (DEI) mandates, which allocated 5% of incentive funding to related goals before redirection in 2025 following a alleging discriminatory hiring practices that denied roles based on demographics over merit. Paramount's subsequent rollback of numerical DEI targets and demographic tracking, amid merger approvals and executive directives, signals recognition that such policies inflated costs without commensurate returns on investment in content quality or audience retention.

Streaming and Digital Platforms

Paramount+ reached 77.7 million global subscribers by the end of Q2 2025, reflecting a quarterly decline of 1.3 million primarily from the expiration of an international bundling agreement in , though domestic U.S. subscribers continued quarterly growth exceeding 10% through 2024. The service's global (ARPU) stood at approximately $7.80 in Q2 2025, supported by a 9% year-over-year increase driven by pricing adjustments and ad-supported tier adoption. Despite subscriber gains since 2022 levels around 63 million, Paramount+ reported ongoing (DTC) losses, with Q1 2025 streaming losses reduced to $109 million—a 62% improvement year-over-year—amid content amortization and marketing expenses exceeding $3 billion annually across original programming and licensed sports rights. Pluto TV, operating as a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service, maintained approximately 80 million monthly active users as of mid-2023, with no major updates reported through , leveraging a low-cost model that aggregates licensed linear channels from Paramount's library and third-party content without original production overhead. This approach generated estimated annual s in the low hundreds of millions for Pluto TV specifically, contributing to the broader FAST sector's $4.9 billion U.S. in 2024 through targeted video ads, though per-user remains below subscription models due to reliance on viewer scale over premium pricing. Compared to Netflix's 301.6 million paid subscribers as of Q3 2025, Paramount's platforms lag significantly, hampered by fragmented content rights—such as limited access to non-CBS games or rival studio libraries—resulting in lower standalone retention and necessitating bundling partnerships like + to curb churn, where users select Paramount+ as an add-on perk but face higher cancellation rates absent integrated retail incentives. Exclusive streaming rights for CBS-aired games provide a competitive edge, boosting seasonal viewership and ad revenue, yet overall viability hinges on scaling DTC profitability amid industry consolidation, with Paramount's streaming revenue up 15% year-over-year to $2.1 billion in Q2 2025 but still trailing pure-play leaders in subscriber loyalty and content exclusivity.

Other Assets and Investments

In August 2023, Paramount Global agreed to sell its publishing division to private equity firm KKR for $1.62 billion in cash, following the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust block of a prior $2.175 billion deal with in October 2022. The transaction closed on October 30, 2023, with proceeds directed toward reducing Paramount's debt load amid efforts to streamline operations and focus on core media assets. Paramount retains full ownership of BET Media Group, which operates the Black Entertainment Television network and related digital properties, despite multiple attempts to divest a majority stake. In early 2023, the company explored selling up to 50% of but abandoned the process in August 2023 after bids fell short of expectations. Subsequent talks in 2024–2025 involving CEO , , and valued the asset at $1.6–$2.7 billion, but no sale materialized as of October 2025, preserving it as a non-core holding generating targeted . Among international assets, Paramount maintains ownership of Channel 5 in the , a broadcaster acquired via prior Viacom mergers, which includes channels like and 5STAR. In contrast, the company divested its Argentine broadcast network in October 2024 to local businessman Gustavo Scaglione for an undisclosed sum, exiting the market to prioritize higher-return investments. These non-core holdings and divestitures, collectively contributing modestly to overall revenue, have enabled over $1.6 billion in proceeds from sales like to support debt reduction initiatives since 2023.

Leadership and Governance

Executive Leadership Transitions

resigned as president and CEO of on September 9, 2018, following allegations of spanning decades, as detailed in investigations by and subsequent reports from multiple women. His departure occurred amid the impending 2019 merger of CBS with Viacom, forming ViacomCBS (later rebranded Paramount Global), which prioritized operational continuity over individual leadership amid shareholder scrutiny of governance failures that eroded trust and contributed to stagnant value creation. Bob Bakish, who had risen through Viacom ranks since 1997, served as CEO of the merged entity from December 2019 until his abrupt departure on April 29, 2024, replaced by an interim "Office of the CEO" comprising division heads George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and . This transition coincided with prolonged merger negotiations and reflected investor pressure over Paramount's declining performance, including a roughly 70% drop in share price from early 2019 highs to 2024 lows, attributed to unsuccessful empire expansion under Redstone family oversight that failed to adapt to streaming disruptions and linear TV erosion. Shari Redstone, exercising control through ' approximately 77% voting interest in Paramount's dual-class structure pre-merger, influenced these shifts by endorsing strategic sales amid activist calls for accountability, though her family's conglomerate-building approach drew criticism for prioritizing control over shareholder returns during years of underperformance. The merger, finalized on August 7, 2025, installed as chairman and CEO of the combined entity, marking a pivot toward tech-infused media strategies aimed at reversing value destruction through cost efficiencies and content synergies, as evidenced by subsequent layoffs targeting operational bloat. These changes underscore a pattern where leadership turnover has been driven by empirical failures in revenue growth and market adaptation rather than isolated executive traits.

Ownership Dynamics and Shareholder Influence

Prior to the 2025 Skydance merger, the Redstone family exerted dominant control over Paramount Global through Inc., which held approximately 77% of the company's voting shares via a dual-class structure, despite representing only about 10% of the economic equity. Class A shares carried one vote each, comprising around 40 million outstanding shares as of April 2024, while the far more numerous Class B shares—over 625 million—lacked voting rights, entrenching family influence against broader input. This setup, inherited from prior Viacom and mergers, prioritized the Redstones' strategic vision, including preservation of legacy broadcast assets, but insulated management from market-driven accountability. Activist investors challenged this control in 2024 amid Paramount's declining valuation and debt pressures. Apollo Global Management proposed a $27 billion all-cash acquisition of the entire company in April, alongside an earlier $11 billion bid for Paramount's film and television studios, both rejected by the Redstone-led board favoring alternative paths. Sony Pictures and Apollo jointly expressed interest in a $26 billion takeover in May, while other suitors like RedBird Capital engaged in parallel discussions, highlighting free-market alternatives to family stewardship but ultimately sidelined by voting disparities. Institutional holders, including Vanguard Group and BlackRock—each controlling over 10% of Class B shares pre-merger—wielded economic leverage through ownership stakes valued in the hundreds of millions but minimal governance sway. The Skydance Media merger, completed on August 7, 2025, for $8 billion, fundamentally altered these dynamics by transferring majority economic control to David Ellison's Skydance investors and partners like RedBird Capital, effectively diluting the Redstones' voting stronghold through a structured recapitalization and cash-out of National Amusements. In the deal, Class B shareholders tendered up to 50% of shares at $15 each, with remaining equity reoriented toward the new entity, aligning incentives more closely with investor capital and reducing reliance on perpetual family oversight. Post-merger, Ellison's leadership emphasizes revitalized content and streaming, potentially amplifying shareholder influence via economic stakes held by institutions like Vanguard and State Street, though lingering dual-class elements in legacy shares may persist. This shift underscores tensions between entrenched control, which facilitated multi-decade empire-building but arguably delayed adaptations to cord-cutting, and activist-driven reforms prioritizing value extraction.

Financial Overview

Revenue Streams and Performance Metrics

Paramount Global reported full-year revenue of $29.66 billion in 2023, reflecting a slight decline from prior years driven by softening advertising demand and affiliate revenues in linear television. This decreased further to $29.21 billion in 2024, a 1.5% drop attributable to ongoing cord-cutting trends eroding cable network distribution fees and broadcast ad sales, partially offset by theatrical releases and licensing. In Q2 2025, quarterly revenue edged up 1% to $6.85 billion year-over-year, bolstered by a 15% increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) revenues to $2.1 billion, though tempered by persistent declines in TV media segments. Revenue breakdown in 2024 highlighted the dominance of TV Media, encompassing cable networks (e.g., , ) and broadcasting, which generated nearly $19 billion or about 65% of despite a 5-10% annual drop in affiliate and ad income due to subscriber losses. Filmed Entertainment, including theatrical releases and home entertainment, contributed roughly 20% or around $5.8 billion, buoyed by hits like the latest installment but vulnerable to volatility. DTC platforms, led by Paramount+ (77.7 million subscribers at Q2 2025 end) and , accounted for approximately 15% or $4.4 billion, with subscriber additions slowing to net losses of 1.3 million in Q2 amid price hikes and churn, though DTC adjusted OIBDA turned positive for the first time. This segmentation underscores the structural shift: linear TV's high-margin affiliate model yielding to streaming's volume-driven but capital-intensive growth, with DTC revenues up 33% annually in Paramount+ alone. Key performance metrics reveal margin compression from streaming investments, with EBITDA margins falling to about 9% in recent trailing-twelve-month periods from double-digit levels pre-2019, as elevated content costs and marketing expenses for DTC outstripped revenue gains amid fierce competition from and . Operating income turned deeply negative at -$5.3 billion for 2024, reflecting $10.3 billion in shortfalls across segments. stood at $14.6 billion in long-term obligations by December 2024, with total nearing $15.5 billion through mid-2025, amplifying leverage risks as remained pressured by $2-3 billion annual DTC losses prior to recent profitability pivots. These trends signal a transitional phase, with cable's predictability fading—affiliate revenues down 10%+ yearly—while streaming scales toward breakeven, evidenced by Q2 2025 DTC profits amid 77.5 million global Paramount+ users.

Cost-Cutting Measures and Debt Management

Following the completion of its merger with in August 2025, Paramount Global pursued substantial cost-cutting initiatives targeting $2 billion in annualized savings, primarily through operational streamlining and reductions in legacy linear television expenditures. These measures addressed overstaffing resulting from pre-merger expansions and inefficiencies in traditional broadcasting, where audience fragmentation and have eroded profitability. A key component involved workforce reductions, with mass layoffs of approximately 2,000 U.S. positions scheduled to commence the week of October 27, 2025, representing a significant portion of the company's roughly 18,600 global employees as of late 2024. Complementary actions included scaling back linear TV production budgets and exploring non-core asset divestitures to redirect capital toward sustainable segments like digital platforms. Union representatives have criticized these cuts as abrupt and detrimental to workers, yet they reflect pragmatic responses to Hollywood's entrenched high-cost structures, which have outpaced revenue adaptation in a shifting market. On debt management, Paramount carried a historical peak of $21.31 billion in total as of December 31, 2020, stemming from prior acquisitions and content investments. The $8.4 billion Skydance merger facilitated capabilities by injecting strategic capital and obligations, aiding efforts to deleverage amid ongoing maturities. Initial outcomes from these fiscal adjustments are expected to appear in the third-quarter 2025 earnings release on November 10, 2025, potentially demonstrating improved margins despite transitional disruptions.

Controversies and Criticisms

Alleged Media Bias and Editorial Practices

Critics have accused , a flagship property of Paramount Global, of exhibiting a left-leaning bias in its editorial practices, particularly in coverage of former President . A 2020 interview on with drew widespread controversy after Trump released an unedited transcript revealing that CBS edited portions of his responses on election integrity, which detractors claimed misrepresented his statements to portray him more negatively. This incident fueled allegations of selective editing to align with anti-Trump narratives, as evidenced by the unedited footage showing fuller context for Trump's claims about mail-in voting and urban unrest. Analyses of CBS coverage have quantified this skew. The Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog, reported that ABC, CBS, and NBC evening newscasts delivered 92% negative coverage of Trump during his first 100 days in his second term as of April 2025, with CBS contributing significantly through dismissive treatment of non-partisan guests and emphasis on policy failures. Historical data aligns with this pattern; a Shorenstein Center study found CBS's 2020 election coverage of Trump to be the most negative recorded for any presidential candidate in the television era, dominated by themes of scandal and incompetence. While Pew Research Center's earlier analysis of Trump's first 60 days in 2017 showed 62% negative stories across outlets including CBS—far exceeding prior presidents—these metrics suggest a consistent tonal imbalance favoring critical narratives over balanced reporting. Internal practices at CBS and Paramount have also faced scrutiny for prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics that allegedly influenced hiring and content. In a lawsuit settled in April 2025, script coordinator Brian Beneker accused CBS Studios of enforcing racial quotas in writers' rooms for shows like SEAL Team, claiming he was passed over for promotions due to targets requiring specific underrepresented group representation—quotas publicly touted by executives like then-President George Cheeks in 2020. The settlement led Paramount and CBS to scrap these DEI initiatives, highlighting how such policies may have incentivized scripting and staffing decisions aligned with ideological goals over merit. Counterbalancing these criticisms, Paramount's October 2025 acquisition of The Free Press—a digital outlet founded by Bari Weiss known for heterodox and conservative-leaning commentary—signals an effort to diversify perspectives. Weiss was appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News, with the $150 million deal aimed at rebuilding trust among audiences skeptical of mainstream bias, potentially broadening editorial viewpoints beyond left-leaning defaults. Audience metrics reflect potential fallout from perceived echo-chamber content. The Late Show with , a late-night program often critiquing conservatives, has seen advertising revenue plummet 40% since 2018 amid broader late-night declines, correlating with viewer shifts away from partisan monologues. Conservative backlash has manifested in advertiser pressures and boycotts, though quantified losses remain tied more to ratings erosion than isolated campaigns; for instance, sustained negative coverage has been linked to alienated demographics, contributing to millions in forgone ad dollars from traditional viewers. In July 2025, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle a filed by President against over the editing of a interview with then-Vice President , conducted in October 2024. The suit, initially seeking $20 billion in damages for alleged election interference through deceptive editing, concluded without an admission of liability or public apology from Paramount, reflecting a strategic decision to avert prolonged litigation costs exceeding the settlement amount. This resolution facilitated (FCC) approval of Paramount's $8 billion merger with later that month, as the settlement removed a key regulatory obstacle amid heightened scrutiny of media consolidation. The Trump settlement drew criticism from some media observers and Democratic lawmakers, who characterized it as yielding to political pressure, yet empirical analysis indicates it prioritized financial prudence over ideological posturing, avoiding discovery processes that could have escalated expenses beyond $20 million while preserving operational continuity. No verifiable evidence emerged of subsequent harm to Paramount's journalistic independence or audience metrics, underscoring the causal link between settlement and merger clearance as a pragmatic business maneuver rather than capitulation. Separately, in 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) successfully blocked Paramount's $2.175 billion sale of its publishing division to on antitrust grounds, citing reduced competition in book advances and author markets. A federal judge ruled the merger would enable the combined entity to control over 50% of the U.S. trade book publishing market, leading Paramount to terminate the deal and later divest to KKR for $1.62 billion in 2023. For the Paramount-Skydance merger, the FCC imposed conditions in July 2025 requiring commitments to "viewpoint diversity" in CBS programming, including the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and establishment of an independent ombudsman for CBS News to ensure fair reporting across political spectra. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr endorsed these measures as safeguards against one-sided content, balancing merger benefits like enhanced content investment against risks of concentrated media influence. While internal and partisan backlash highlighted tensions over editorial autonomy, the conditions expedited approval without documented disruptions to Paramount's revenue or output.

Internal Management and Corporate Culture Issues

Under Shari Redstone's stewardship through , which held supermajority voting control of Paramount Global, the company rejected multiple acquisition proposals perceived as more lucrative for shareholders, including a $26 billion all-cash offer from and in May 2024. Redstone prioritized deals preserving the company's media assets intact, favoring Skydance Media's structure over breakup plans proposed by rivals like Apollo, which attempted seven bids but was sidelined. This approach contributed to shareholder frustration, as Paramount's stock (PARA) declined over 70% since the 2019 Viacom-CBS merger orchestrated by Redstone, contrasting sharply with the S&P 500's approximate 80% gain over the same period. Internal culture during the Redstone era faced scrutiny for executive instability and allegations of toxicity, exemplified by high-level departures and lawsuits claiming harassment. Les Moonves, CBS CEO at the time of the 2019 merger, resigned in September 2018 amid investigations into sexual misconduct claims spanning decades, leading to his firing for cause and denial of a $120 million severance package by CBS's board. The dispute resolved in 2021 with ViacomCBS retaining the funds after arbitration, amid reports of Moonves obstructing the probe to safeguard his payout. Subsequent executive churn intensified post-merger, with CEO Bob Bakish ousted in April 2024 and replaced by an unconventional "Office of the CEO" comprising three executives, reflecting ongoing leadership flux under Redstone's influence. Employee reviews and suits highlighted a toxic environment, including discrimination and retaliation claims at units like "60 Minutes" and Paramount Pictures, where women alleged relentless harassment fostering stifled creativity and high turnover. Following Skydance's $8 billion merger completion in August 2025, new CEO initiated reforms targeting bureaucratic bloat, mandating full-time office returns and announcing up to 3,000 layoffs starting late October 2025 to achieve $2 billion in annual savings. These measures, including reinvestment of cuts into content and acquisitions, aim to streamline operations where media peers often exceed 30% overhead ratios, addressing pre-merger inefficiencies like redundant layers from the Viacom-CBS integration. Critics from progressive outlets framed Redstone-era scandals like Moonves' as emblematic of unchecked "toxic masculinity," while conservative commentators stressed individual accountability and structural reforms over narrative-driven victimhood, underscoring debates on in entertainment.

Industry Impact and Future Outlook

Market Position Amid Streaming Wars

Paramount Global occupies a mid-tier position in the U.S. media landscape amid the ongoing streaming wars, commanding an estimated 2-3% share of the overall market based on revenue and audience metrics as of 2025. Its Paramount+ service, launched in March 2021, trails dominant platforms like (over 280 million global subscribers) and Disney+ (approximately 150 million), with global subscribers peaking at 79 million in Q1 2025 before dipping to 77.7 million by Q2 amid churn pressures. This lag reflects Paramount's delayed entry into streaming, which allowed early movers like to capture substantial market loyalty and data advantages by 2021. Despite these challenges, bundling deals have bolstered reach; for instance, an August 2024 agreement with integrated the ad-supported Paramount+ Essential tier into TV Select packages at no extra cost, extending access to millions of pay-TV households without counting as direct additions to Paramount's standalone subscriber base. Paramount's competitive edge stems from its robust intellectual property portfolio, including franchises like Top Gun, whose 2022 sequel Maverick generated over $1.5 billion in global revenue, underscoring the enduring value of its library in driving streaming engagement and ancillary income. However, the company's late streaming pivot—initially prioritizing traditional linear TV and theatrical releases—has drawn criticism for ceding ground to tech-native rivals, resulting in persistent profitability hurdles; Paramount+ reported narrowed losses of $497 million in its streaming segment for 2024, with domestic breakeven targeted for late 2025. As of October 2025, following the acquisition of Paramount completed in August, speculation has intensified around potential consolidation to achieve scale, with reports indicating David Ellison's Paramount submitted multiple bids—up to $23.50 per share—to acquire , aiming to merge assets like Max and Paramount+ for enhanced content depth and bargaining power against hyperscalers. These overtures, rejected thus far, highlight Paramount's strategic vulnerability in a fragmented market where standalone players struggle against bundled ecosystems from Amazon and Apple.

Responses to Technological and Competitive Disruptions

Following the completion of its merger with on August 7, 2025, Paramount Global—rebranded as Paramount Skydance—has pursued technological adaptations centered on AI to enhance content production efficiency. Skydance's tech-oriented leadership, under CEO , has positioned the combined entity to integrate AI tools for streamlining operations, including potential applications in visual effects and content generation, as part of a broader turnaround strategy aimed at unifying streaming platforms and countering legacy media inefficiencies. Earlier efforts included blockchain-based experiments with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to monetize . In 2021, Paramount (then ViacomCBS) partnered with RECUR to launch an NFT platform, enabling fans to buy, collect, and trade digital collectibles tied to franchises like , with the first collection dropping on April 9, 2022, featuring algorithmically generated starships priced at $250 per pack. These initiatives sought to create new revenue streams from IP in decentralized environments but faced market volatility in assets. To address competitive pressures from short-video platforms like and , Paramount has expanded its (FAST) service Pluto TV, which emphasizes linear channels over fragmented short-form content due to monetization challenges in the latter format. Pluto TV's strategy focuses on aggregating on-demand and live channels to capture cord-cutters, though it contends with oversupply in digital advertising that hampers pricing power. Merger activity, including the Skydance deal—which cleared regulatory hurdles without major antitrust blocks—reflects efforts to achieve scale against dominant tech competitors, though subsequent pursuits like a potential bid for carry financing and antitrust risks from bodies such as the U.S. Department of Justice and international regulators. Empirical evidence from industry consolidation suggests could facilitate such efficiencies, enabling legacy players to compete without reliance on government subsidies often advocated for struggling outlets. Paramount Skydance's $2 billion cost-cutting plan, including 2,000 U.S. job eliminations starting the week of October 27, , targets expense synergies to drive profitability, building on pre-merger projections of escalating savings toward $4.5 billion annually by 2027. However, vulnerability persists from flat digital ad growth in , with Q1 advertising revenue stable only after excluding effects and direct-to-consumer ads declining 9%, amid broader market softness from supply influx. This underscores causal risks from ad recessions, where tech platforms' dominance exacerbates linear TV's structural declines despite adaptation attempts.

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