FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued a scathing statement of dissent following the FCC’s approval of the Paramount and Skydance Media merger on Thursday, noting the agency’s control over “newsroom decisions and editorial judgment” at Paramount-owned news organizations marks a “direct violation of the first amendment.”
“After months of cowardly capitulation to this Administration, Paramount finally got what it wanted,” Gomez wrote. “Unfortunately, it is the American public who will ultimately pay the price for its actions.”
Gomez, the lone Democrat Commissioner, was the dissenting vote in the FCC’s 2-1 approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger and has been outspoken about Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, calling it a “desperate move” to gain the FCC’s approval that sets “dangerous precedent for the First Amendment.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner Olivia Trusty voiced her support for the merger, saying the “transaction reflects the free market at work, where private investment, not government intervention, is preserving an iconic American media institution.”
Read Gomez’s full statement, below:
“After months of cowardly capitulation to this Administration, Paramount finally got what it wanted. Unfortunately, it is the American public who will ultimately pay the price for its actions.
In an unprecedented move, this once-independent FCC used its vast power to pressure Paramount to broker a private legal settlement and further erode press freedom. Once again, this agency is undermining legitimate efforts to combat discrimination and expand opportunity by overstepping its authority and intervening in employment matters reserved for other government entities with proper jurisdiction on these issues. Even more alarming, it is now imposing never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, in direct violation of the First Amendment and the law.
After the FCC buried the outcome of backroom negotiations with other regulated entities, like Verizon and T-Mobile, I urged for us to bring the Paramount proceeding into the light. I’ve long believed the public has a right to know how Paramount’s capitulation evidences an erosion of our First Amendment protections, and I’m pleased that FCC leadership ultimately agreed to my call for every Commissioner to vote on this transaction. Granting approval behind closed doors, under the cover of bureaucratic process, would have been an inappropriate way to shield this Administration’s coordinated campaign to censor speech, control narratives, and silence dissent.
Despite this regrettable outcome, this Administration is not done with its assault on the First Amendment. In fact, it may only be beginning. The Paramount payout and this reckless approval have emboldened those who believe the government can—and should—abuse its power to extract financial and ideological concessions, demand favored treatment, and secure positive media coverage. It is a dark chapter in a long and growing record of abuse that threatens press freedom in this country. But such violations endure only when institutions choose capitulation over courage. It is time for companies, journalists, and citizens alike to stand up and speak out, because unchecked and unquestioned power has no rightful place in America.
For all these reasons, I dissent.”
Read Trusty’s full statement here:
“I support today’s approval of the Paramount Global and Skydance Media
merger. This transaction reflects the free market at work, where
private investment, not government intervention, is preserving an
iconic American media institution.
During its review of the transaction, the Commission determined the
merger was lawful and would serve the public interest. This deal
brings fresh leadership, new capital, and a clear plan to compete with
dominant tech platforms. Skydance’s commitment to creative excellence
and operational discipline offers New Paramount a real path forward in
today’s challenging media environment.
This is a win for American jobs, American storytelling, and the
principle that markets, not Washington, should decide the future of
our industries.
I want to thank Chairman Carr for his leadership in bringing the
merger to a full Commission vote. His commitment to transparency and
process has ensured that this matter received the thorough
consideration it deserves.”
FCC Clears Paramount-Skydance Merger