Upon the deal’s closing, Skydance and its financial partners are set inject $1.5 billion in cash into Paramount. However, that’s intended to go toward reducing Paramount’s long-term debt ($14.16 billion as of Q1 of 2025) to help stabilize its balance sheet.

Plus, Hulk Hogan, the pro wrestler who brought the sport to new heights of mainstream popularity, died at the age of 71.

Shares of Paramount Global surrendered early gains Friday, closing down 1.6% at $13.05. They initially got a bit of a pop from the FCC’s long awaited approval of the merger wtih Skydance Media. But investors remain cautious as the combined entity’s basic strategy on key fronts from cable to streaming

"Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough warned Republicans they will suffer "blowback" for the $8 billion Paramount-Skydance merger

With the FCC having cleared the Skydance Media-Paramount merger and the deal set to close in a matter of weeks, Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy will leave the media conglomerate, a company source confirmed to Variety.

Chairman Brendan Carr thinks his agency should strive to ensure that news coverage is fair and balanced—a role precluded by the First Amendment.

"New York Times" White House correspondent Peter Baker on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" expressed his displeasure with the Trump administration for approving the Skydance-Paramount merger. JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: It took a while.