Claim via Social Media:
Following the July 2025 merger between Skydance and Paramount Global, CBS agreed to install a “bias monitor” appointed by the FCC who reports directly to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Explanation:
This claim is Partly False. It is true that CBS, now under the newly formed Paramount Skydance Corp., agreed to have in place an ombudsman to evaluate complaints of bias, as outlined in Skydance’s letter to the FCC. However, contrary to viral social media posts, this ombudsman does not report to President Trump, and there is no evidence that the FCC will appoint the position.
According to the FCC’s official approval of the merger, the ombudsman will report to Jeff Shell, president of Paramount Skydance Corp. Shell was formerly CEO of NBCUniversal, which also had an ombudsman post following Comcast’s acquisition, a precedent cited in Skydance’s July 22, 2025, letter to the FCC. In that 2011 Comcast case, the ombudsman was company-appointed, not FCC-assigned or presidentially linked.
Brendan Carr, an FCC commissioner appointed by Trump, did mention the monitor in a Newsmax interview, but exaggerated its function and chain of command. No FCC document or Skydance filing supports the claim that this individual reports to the president or is selected by the FCC.
Conclusion:
Fact or Fiction? Misleading. While CBS will have a bias ombudsman, there is no evidence that this person will report to Donald Trump or be appointed by the FCC. The claim misrepresents the structure agreed upon in the merger.
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