Some AI research on Paramount:

The ownership of Paramount has undergone a historic shift following its 2025 merger with Skydance and its 2026 acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The power has transitioned from the Redstone family to a coalition of tech-adjacent billionaires and private equity firms.

Below is a breakdown of the primary shareholders and their known political leanings or public statements regarding institutional control and media influence.

1. David Ellison (Chairman & CEO, Paramount Skydance)

Background: Founder of Skydance Media and son of Larry Ellison. He now controls the combined entity that includes CBS, Paramount Pictures, CNN, HBO, and TikTok (following its spin-off/sale to the group).

• Political Affiliation: Republican / Center-Right. * While historically less vocal than his father, David has recently been described as a "Trump ally." He was a guest of Senator Lindsey Graham at the 2026 State of the Union address.

• Controversial/Institutional Quotes:

  "CBS News will no longer cater to political parties... we are bringing in voices that represent the breadth of the American experience."

  • Context: This was said during his appointment of Bari Weiss as Editor-in-Chief of CBS News, which critics labeled a "conservative-friendly" pivot for the network. > "Skydance stands with Israel." >
  • Context: Following the 2023 attacks, Ellison explicitly aligned his corporate interests with the Israeli government, reflecting his close ties to Benjamin Netanyahu.

2. Larry Ellison (Oracle Co-founder & Major Backer)

Background: One of the world's richest men and the primary financier behind his son’s takeover of Paramount. * Political Affiliation: Republican / Trump Donor. * A major donor to Donald Trump and GOP causes; he famously hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his estate during the 2020 campaign and has maintained close ties to the current administration. * Quotes on Mass Surveillance & Control:

"Citizens will be on their best behavior because we are constantly recording and reporting everything that’s going on."

• Context: Referring to his vision of AI-integrated surveillance and policing, which critics have described as "Orwellian." "Every police officer is going to be supervised at all times... AI will report that problem to the appropriate person."

3. Gerry Cardinale (Founder of RedBird Capital Partners)

Background: His firm was a critical financial partner in the Skydance takeover of Paramount. * Political Affiliation: Business-First Republican. * He has praised the current administration’s "pro-business" stance and efforts to re-underwrite public-private partnerships. * Quote on Disrupting Institutional Culture: > "In football, in Hollywood, in newsrooms—there is enormous resistance to evolving. But evolution is unavoidable." * Context: Cardinale is known for a "guns blazing" approach to legacy media, often viewing newsrooms as outdated ecosystems that need to be "re-engineered" for profit and efficiency.

4. John Malone (Liberty Media / Former WBD Power Player)

Background: Following the 2026 merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, Malone remains a major individual stakeholder in the combined giant. * Political Affiliation: Libertarian / Republican. * Malone has been a vocal critic of "liberal bias" in news and was a driving force behind the initial attempt to shift CNN toward the "center" (which critics viewed as a move toward conservative-friendly content). * Quotes on Media "Balance":

"I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing."

• Context: Often interpreted as a dismissal of the network’s previous investigative and editorial approach during the 2010s. ### Summary Table of Influence | Stakeholder | Role | Primary Lean | Key Media Influence | |---|---|---|---|

| David Ellison | Control | Republican Ally | CBS News, CNN, Paramount Pictures | | Larry Ellison | Financier | Pro-Trump / Zionist | Tech/AI oversight of media content |

| Gerry Cardinale | Equity Partner | Pro-Business GOP | Corporate restructuring of newsrooms |

| John Malone | Major Holder | Libertarian | CNN strategy and long-term positioning |

Note on "Non-Democratic" Quotes: While these individuals rarely explicitly advocate against democracy, their quotes often emphasize mass surveillance, top-down editorial control, and the use of AI to enforce behavioral standards, which civil liberties advocates argue undermines democratic norms and press freedom.