FCC approves paramount-Skydance merger

Paramount had said it expected to close the $8.4 billion merger in the first half of 2025. But the first half of the year came and went, and the merger remained under review by the FCC and its chair, Brendan Carr, who had been appointed to the role earlier this year by President Trump. Late on July 1, Paramount announced it had settled a lawsuit with Mr. Trump over the editing of a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris, a suit that Paramount told the court was without merit. The company agreed to pay $16 million — most of which would go to Mr. Trump's presidential library — and agreed to publish transcripts of future "60 Minutes" interviews with presidential candidates after those interviews air on the show. Mr. Trump has since said he expects Paramount's new owners to offer him about $20 million in advertising and PSAs.