New York, New York - Paramount CEO David Ellison said Tuesday that the legal battle over his proposed multibillion-dollar takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery was fueled by politics rather than concerns over market share.
His remarks in an opinion piece published in The New York Times came as a federal judge set a March 2027 trial date for the antitrust challenges to the megamerger.
Ellison's Paramount Skydance agreed late last month to delay its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. to June 2027 while the US lawsuit seeking to block the deal moves forward.
If the merger eventually closes, the new combined company would reshape the entertainment and media industry, in addition to delivering a major win to its owners, the Ellison family, who are close allies of President Donald Trump.
If the deal doesn't close, the Ellison family could be on the hook for billions in kill fees.
In a combative op-ed, Ellison argued that the fight over the deal "is not really about market share."
"The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of Warner's CNN. There has been speculation about my politics, my loyalties, my intentions," he wrote.
In their complaint against the deal, 12 Democratic-led states claim the combined company would control roughly 27% of wide-release theatrical film distribution and a similar percentage of basic cable channel licensing.
"We are eager to continue to make our case in court... to ensure this unlawful merger never sees the light of day," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement last month.
The deal would include CNN, one of the largest US cable news networks and a frequent target of Trump's insults and attacks over coverage critical of his administration.
Paramount merger raises fears for editorial independence
On June 12, the Trump administration approved the blockbuster deal without demanding a single change, clearing the way for one of the largest media mergers in years.
Ellison argued that he held views across the political spectrum, "just like most Americans."
"When it comes to our news operations, I do not aspire to lead these companies to bend their newsrooms to my views," he said. "I believe that news should be based on facts and truth."
Ellison's Skydance acquired CBS News in mid-2025, with the major US broadcaster reaching a $16 million settlement with Trump over coverage of presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the same period.
Shortly after CBS became a part of Paramount Skydance, the company brought in Bari Weiss – a longstanding critic of progressive politics – to lead its news division.
Many CBS News journalists quit following Weiss' appointment, alleging curbs on their editorial independence.
David Ellison is the son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who Forbes says has a net worth of more than $185 billion, making him the seventh richest person in the world.