LOS ANGELES, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Thursday that it would allow an 8 billion-U.S.- dollar merger between Paramount and Skydance Media.
The FCC said in a statement that it approved Skydance's acquisition of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including the ultimate parent company of the CBS network of owned and operated broadcast television stations, by granting a series of applications that transfer FCC licenses and authorizations.
"Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately and fairly. It is time for a change," said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in the statement, adding: "That is why I welcome Skydance's commitment to making significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network."
Skydance has made written commitments to ensuring that the new company's programming embodies a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum, Carr added.
The FCC approval came weeks after Paramount Global, one of the largest U.S. media and entertainment corporations, agreed to pay U.S. President Donald Trump 16 million dollars to settle his lawsuit over the editing of an interview on the CBS News program "60 Minutes."
Last October, Trump sued CBS News in Texas, alleging that his electoral chances were harmed after the network aired two separate versions of an answer given by then Vice President Kamala Harris during the program. ■
