Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison contends that opposition to his company's proposed takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery is rooted in concerns about his political leanings and the future of CNN, rather than legitimate antitrust issues.
In an opinion piece published Tuesday in The New York Times, Ellison stated that he believes the lawsuit threatening to derail the merger and other criticisms are not about market share, but about his potential ownership of CNN.
"I believe that anyone who oversees a news organization — I am chief executive of Paramount, which owns CBS — shouldn’t put a finger on the scale, especially on matters involving his own company," Ellison wrote. "I believe this fight is not really about market share," he added, noting that the deal has received approval from regulators globally.
Ellison asserted that the core issue is whether he can be trusted as a steward of CNN, citing speculation about his politics, loyalties, and intentions. He stated that he has voted for candidates from both major parties, holds a mix of conservative and liberal views, and does not intend to steer newsrooms toward his personal opinions. "I believe that news should be based on facts and truth," he wrote.
He reiterated past commitments to producing fair and balanced news that reflects a wide range of perspectives. "And it requires independence. Our journalists will continue to answer to the facts and to all the people they serve — not to any party or cause," Ellison added.
Citing a Gallup survey indicating that only 28% of Americans trust the news, Ellison expressed a commitment to rebuilding that trust. "Trust can’t be argued back, but it can be earned back — story by story, day by day. In an age when so much of what fills our screens is machine-generated or engineered to enrage, journalism from real reporters matters more than ever. That is the work I intend to pay for, patiently, for a long time," he wrote.
Ellison also reaffirmed his commitments regarding content production if the merger proceeds. He highlighted the challenges legacy Hollywood studios face from technology giants and algorithms that reward sensationalism, leading to a decline in production work in regions like California. He stated his intention to produce 30 theatrical films annually, 170 TV series each year, and invest over $30 billion in content creation annually if the merger is completed.
The op-ed comes as Paramount is engaged in legal battles with 12 state attorneys general seeking to block the deal. Regulators in the United States and Europe have already granted approval for the merger, which would unite Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., as well as news organizations CBS and CNN, under a single ownership.
Paramount also faces a lawsuit from the Writers Guild of America and calls from actors to persuade the UK government to block the deal. "A deal this size is lived out in public, and I have felt every bit of that," Ellison concluded. "I don’t ask to be taken at my word; the commitments are in writing, and the work will be on screens where anyone can judge it."