On July 6, 2024, CBS News Studio is located in Tides Square, Manhattan, New York, USA.
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Paramount Skydance On Monday, he agreed to acquire the online publication The Free Press, and named co-founder and CEO Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Digital Upstart publications released by Weiss in 2021 will be participating in CBS News. According to Paramount, the Free Press has 1.5 million subscribers, of which over 170,000 have paid for subscriptions.
Weiss set up the Free Press after resigning from the New York Times opinion desk in 2020.
“Weiss will form editorial priorities, advocate for core values across the platform, and lead innovation in the way organizations report and deliver news,” Paramount said in a news release.
The acquisition, which Paramount Skydance reportedly paid $150 million, is the latest in a series of strategic moves by CEO David Ellison, as the merger between Paramount and Skydance was completed in August.
Paramount and CBS also found a way out of a political fire following a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump in a “60-minute” interview with then-President Kamala Harris.
In light of the lawsuit, Paramount agreed to hire a CBS News Ombudsman with the goal of examining the work and investigating complaints of political bias. And soon after the settlement, the much-anticipated merger between Paramount and Skydance won the necessary federal approval.
In a note to staff on Monday, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison spoke about the US political environment and how it has become heavy in the media.
“I think we can all agree that we feel that the temperature of our country’s social discourse is higher than ever. Too many times, spaces once reserved for thoughtful dialogue have been consumed by partisan departments and hostile conflict,” Ellison said in a memo. “If we move forward, we must find a way to return to ideals that shape both our nation and our civilization itself: an open exchange of ideas, a vigorous yet respectful discussion, and a true respect for the beliefs and traditions of others.” ”
“This challenge extends to the media. It was established on a mission to inform the public about the issue that day and promote discussion, but it has become a platform that amplifies something very partisan that rips apart our society,” Ellison said in a memo.
Weiss reporting to Ellison also sent a note to CBS News staff on Monday.
“My goal in the next few days and weeks is to know you. I’d like to hear from you what’s working, what’s not, and how to make CBS News the most trusted news organization in America and the world,” Weiss said in her notes. “I approach the reporters as they do. With hearts, fresh notes, urgent deadlines.”
Paramount Playbook
US producer David Ellison will be attending the premiere of Apple’s Youth at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on May 19, 2025.
Charlie Tribrorow | AFP | Getty Images
Shortly after Paramount Skydance closed its partnership, Ellison took the helm, and in 2026, the company announced a seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights agreement to become the exclusive US home for TKO Group’s UFC Mixed Martial Artyance Asmany.
Most recently, the company announced a long-term media rights agreement at Zuffa Boxing, a new promotion founded in 2026 by TKO and Saudi Arabian Entertainment Conglomerate Cera.
Paramount’s content slate expansion is also key to the company’s recent move.
Ellison has signed an agreement to secure the right to develop, create and distribute live-action films based on Activision’s Call of Duty Video game franchise. He also signed a three-year distribution agreement with Legendary. The company is also bringing in the creative team of Matt and Ross Duffer, better known as the Duffer Brothers, where Netflix creators hit “Stranger Things.”
Paramount is also working with investment banks to investigate bids to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, CNBC was previously reported.
Additionally, Ellison has been hiring notable staff since the merger ended.
In late September, Paramount announced the appointment of Macan Delrahim, a member of the law firm that advised Skydance as Chief Justice Officer during the merger process. Delrahim is also the former Attorney General who oversaw the anti-trust division of the U.S. Department of Justice during Trump’s first administration. Disney Getting Fox Corp.’s 21st Century Fox assets have been completed.
The company has also added Dennis Cinelli, currently serving as the CFO of Scale AI, as its board of directors. And he hired Dane Glasgow as the top product manager. Glasgow previously worked for META, Google, eBay and Microsoft.
Ellison said the focus will be on AI and tech advancements in the company’s streaming services and elsewhere in the company.
