Skydance to Buy Paramount

After on-and-off deals, Skydance has finally agreed to buy Paramount, the parent company of CBS.

Many at CBS News and the O&Os are wondering what this means for them.

FTVLive wrote this in a Patron Only story back on April 11th, and we still think this scenario might play out.

In our Patron story from April, titled Jeff Zucker to Run Another Network?

We wrote:

I could have titled this story "Will Jeff Zucker Ruin Another Network?" but I stuck with "Run."

I have no inside knowledge on this, but this is what I see happening in the FTVLive Crystal Ball.

CBS's parent company, Paramount, is now in deep negotiations with Skydance to tell the company.

If you don't know, Skydance Media is a production company based in Santa Monica, California, and run by David Ellison.

Skydance produces major motion pictures.

Did you see Top Gun Maverick?

That's Skydance.

David Ellison is the son of multi-billionaire Larry Ellison,

So, if David wants to buy Paramount, I think he will be able to find the money.

But, I don't think Skydance or David Ellison cares about owning CBS, or the O&Os.

Enter Jeff Zucker.

If Skydance buys Paramount, they could help offset the cost of doing so, by selling off CBS and the O&Os.

Jeff Zucker now runs Redbird Capital.

Zucker also is itching badly to get back in the game.

So, Skydance buys Paramount, sells CBS and the O&Os to Zucker's Redbird, and the next thing you know, Zucker is in charge of another network.

Zucker ran NBC into the ground, cratered CNN, and now might take over CBS.

Stay tuned and we'll see how this plays out.