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Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. Advertisement 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' Related : He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. Advertisement 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. Related : A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. Related : CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. Advertisement 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?' Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal
This isn't a joke. They've made that clear. CBS 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert condemned parent company Paramount Global's settlement of President Donald Trump 's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' story as a 'big fat bribe' during his first show back from a vacation. Colbert followed 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart 's attack of the deal one week earlier. Stewart works for Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount, making the two comics the most visible internal critics of the $16 million settlement that was announced on July 1. Colbert's 'bribe' reference was to the pending sale of Paramount to Skydance Media, which needs Trump administration approval. Critics of the deal that ended Trump's lawsuit over the newsmagazine's editing of its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested it was primarily to clear a hurdle to that sale. 'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don't know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.' He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was 'big fat bribe.' Jon Stewart terms it 'shameful' Stewart began discussing the 'shameful settlement' on his show a week earlier when he was 'interrupted' by a fake Arby's ad on the screen. 'That's why it was so wrong,' he said upon his 'return.' He discussed the deal in greater detail with the show's guest, retired '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, making his views clear through a series of leading questions. 'I would assume internally, this is devastating to the people who work in a place that pride themselves on contextual, good journalism?' Stewart asked. 'Devastating is a good word,' Kroft replied. A handful of media reports in the past two weeks have speculated that Skydance boss David Ellison might try to curry favor with Trump by eliminating the comics' jobs if the sale is approved. A representative for Ellison did not immediately return a message for comment on Tuesday. It would be easier to get rid of Stewart, since he works one night a week at a network that no longer produces much original content. Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night broadcast television, however, and is a relentless Trump critic. The antipathy is mutual. Trump called Colbert 'a complete and total loser' in a Truth Social post last fall, suggesting CBS was wasting its money on him. 'HE IS VERY BORING,' Trump wrote. Colbert slips in a quip Colbert alluded to reports about his job security in his monologue, pointing to the mustache he grew during his vacation. 'OK, OK, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert, if they can't find him?' he joked. Colbert and Stewart both earned Emmy nominations this week for outstanding talk series. Together with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, all three nominees are tough on Trump. CBS News journalists have largely been quiet publicly since the settlement's announcement. Two top executives, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon and '60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, both quit or were forced out prior to the settlement for making their dissatisfaction about the idea known internally. Reporting about the settlement on the day it was announced, 'CBS Evening News' anchor John Dickerson said viewers would have to decide on their own what it meant to them. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions?" Dickerson asked. 'Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust? The audience will decide that. Our job is to show up to honor what we witness on behalf of the people.' ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘South Park' Global Fans Furious as Show Pulled From Paramount+ Amid Licensing Dispute
International fans of Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny were left reeling last week after South Park was pulled off streaming service Paramount+ amid an ongoing licensing dispute between the show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Comedy Central's parent company, Paramount Global. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Paramount+'s international license to stream episodes of the long-running animated series has expired, forcing the streamer to pull the show off its global service. Outside the U.S., Paramount+ is available in the English-speaking territories of Canada, Australia, the U.K. and Ireland; in France, Italy and German-speaking Europe; in Japan, and across Latin America. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kanye "Ye" West Struggles Through Chaotic, Rain-Soaked Shanghai Concert 'Superman' Star Nicholas Hoult Takes on New Role as Save the Children Ambassador 'Better Go Mad in the Wild,' 'Bidad,' 'Sand City,' 'Forensics' Win Karlovy Vary Festival Awards Threads on the South Park subreddit and social media have lit up with foul-mouthed complaints from international fans, most of them directed at Paramount and David Ellison's Skydance Media, whose $8 billion buyout of Paramount is at the heart of the South Park dispute. 'wtf. 100 % cancelling my subscription now,' noted user @emale27. 'The only reason I had Paramount+ was to watch South Park. I just canceled,' concurred @jaywinner. 'How does one go about setting Paramount on fire?'' asked @Acceptable-Bid-1019, prompting another user, @probably420stoned to quip: 'They've basically just done this themselves.' Amid threats to cancel their Paramount+ subscriptions, devotees of the long-running animated series from Canada, Australia, France, Germany and elsewhere traded tips on how to watch the show, legally or otherwise, from their respective territories. Paramount+ still has the rights to stream South Park specials internationally. South Park remains on the air on Paramount's Comedy Central channels worldwide, whose footprint spans most of Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia/New Zealand. Paramount's ad-supported streaming service also carries the show in several territories, including Canada, Latin America and select European countries. Back episodes are available for purchase on other services, including Apple TV and Amazon Prime. In some territories, including Germany and the Latin American region, back episodes are available to stream, ad-supported, on a stand-alone South Park website. That fragmented global access was not what Paramount had in mind ahead of the season 27 premiere of South Park, which is set to bow on Comedy Central in the U.S. and internationally on July 23, two weeks later than originally planned. Sources close to Paramount told THR the studio remains in negotiations and hopes to have the show back on Paramount+ soon. Talks over a new South Park streaming deal, to replace its now-expired five-year pact with Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max, have stalled amid Paramount's protracted sale to Skydance. As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter last month, Parker and Stone, through their Park County business entity, threatened legal action against Paramount. Park County accuses incoming president Jeff Shell, currently chairman of sports and media at Skydance investor Redbird Capital Partners, of interfering with their contract negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Netflix to modify certain terms 'to benefit Paramount at the expense' of Park County. It pointed to Shell pushing WBD to give Paramount+ an exclusive 12-month window for new episodes of the show and to shorten the term of the licensing deal from 10 to five years. A representative for Skydance released a statement dismissing the allegations. 'Any accusation that Jeff Shell tried to lower the price or devalue the franchise in any way is not only nonsensical but patently false,' the statement reads. 'Under the terms of the transaction agreement, Skydance has the right to approve material contracts.' Paramount has two years left on its $900 million licensing deal for South Park but without unified international streaming rights, many global fans of the potty-mouthed kids from Colorado will remain frustrated. But that doesn't mean they've lost their sense of humor. 'The silver lining of all this merger crap,' noted @Kalse1229 on the South Park subreddit, 'is that it's gonna make for an excellent South Park takedown.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Skydance in early talks to acquire The Free Press, NYT reports
July 11 (Reuters) - Skydance Media CEO David Ellison has held preliminary talks to acquire The Free Press, an online news outlet, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The news comes as Skydance is seeking to close its $8.4 billion merger with Paramount Global (PARA.O), opens new tab, which is awaiting approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The Free Press, co-founded by former New York Times journalist Bari Weiss, describes itself as a platform committed to independent journalism. Ellison and Weiss have discussed several potential collaborations, including a role for Weiss in shaping CBS News' editorial direction, though not in a managerial capacity, the report added. Last week, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to resolve a civil suit filed by by U.S. President Donald Trump against Paramount-owned CBS News. This week, Weiss and Ellison are attending the annual Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, the NYT report said. Skydance and The Free Press did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The Free Press has more than 30 investors, including Yael Aflalo, the founder of Reformation, and Bobby Kotick, the former chief executive of Activision Blizzard, the report added.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Media Companies Like Paramount Should Think Twice Before Settling With Trump
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM's home for opinion and news analysis. Paramount Global, which owns CBS News, recently made a perilous decision to settle the lawsuit that Donald Trump brought against them last year. Trump's suit asserted that CBS' 60 Minutes illegally edited a Kamala Harris interview in order to hurt his chances in the 2024 presidential race. Before settling, Paramount validly argued Trump's legal theories were meritless and violated the company's First Amendment rights. Yet the media conglomerate settled the suit for $16 million, which it reportedly will pay toward Trump's presidential library plus other costs, although Trump asserted that the settlement is worth double that sum. The settlement decision by Paramount's board of directors carries huge legal and reputational risks — including potential bribery charges — while degrading the independent investigative journalism Americans rely on. Many legal experts agreed from the beginning that Paramount had a strong defense, citing constitutional protections to make editorial decisions. But the company's choice to settle reportedly appears to have hinged on an unrelated $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. If the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by Trump ally Brendan Carr, doesn't approve this merger by October, the deal could fall apart and board chair Shari Redstone could lose a reported $2 billion payout. While Trump's lawyers and Carr deny the lawsuit is related to these FCC proceedings, Paramount staff appeared to see a link, as did Trump himself. And as Paramount's board struggled with the prospect of facing bribery charges if it settled the suit, internal pressures for CBS News to provide more favorable coverage of Trump sparked major internal discord, resulting in two high-profile news division resignations. Paramount found itself in a tough situation, no doubt. But the grave risks of settling with Trump are bad for the business, its shareholders, and its employees — and it represents a dangerous sign for democracy. These stakes are clear in the potential legal risks Paramount is still facing post-settlement. First, three U.S. senators — Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) — warned Redstone in a May 19 letter that under federal law, paying Trump to help finalize merger approval could potentially be bribery of a public official. Such a charge has a five-year statute of limitations. The senators suggested that any 'scheme to curry favor with the Trump administration' compromises journalistic independence and raises corruption concerns. Immediately after the settlement, Wyden reupped these issues and asked state prosecutors to pursue criminal charges, while Warren called for an investigation. State-level problems have surfaced, too. In California, two powerful senators who chair relevant committees already launched an inquiry, inviting two former CBS News executives to testify. The lawmakers suggested a settlement could violate California's laws against, for example, unfair competition and misuse of corporate funds, while penalizing competitors who resist political interference, distorting the media marketplace, and chilling the investigative journalism Californians depend on. On top of that, Paramount's shareholders have already threatened legal action. The nonprofit Freedom of the Press, which owns Paramount stock, promised to sue the company if it settled with Trump and recently hired two powerhouse lawyers in preparation. On June 5, the nonprofit told Paramount's board a settlement could cause 'catastrophic' harm to the company and destroy shareholder value. They also said a settlement could illegally breach the board's duties of care and loyalty to shareholders, constitute bribery, and violate anti-competition laws in several states — which could multiply legal fees and liability. Other long-term hazards abound. For example, a future president could take a very different look at the matter than Trump. A future Congress could hold high-profile hearings and refer the matter for Department of Justice investigation. A future DOJ could investigate potential lawbreaking, including the bribery angle. An FCC under the stewardship of a new chair could also launch investigatory proceedings. And attorneys involved in the settlement could face state disciplinary proceedings or disbarment if there is a finding that they acted illegally or unethically. Aside from the legal risks, the trusted brand of CBS News and its credibility with the American people will likely crater. More broadly, the settlement represents yet another example of independent media companies kowtowing to an administration that appears intent on weakening perceived enemies. As the editorial board of the conservative Wall Street Journal wrote: 'The President is using government to intimidate news outlets that publish stories he doesn't like. It's a low move in a free country with a free press.'
