Copyright independent
Paramount Skydance plans to lay off approximately 1,000 employees this week, with another 1,000 expected to follow, as part of an ongoing restructuring. These job cuts are a consequence of the entertainment company's controversial merger in August, which brought CBS News, MTV, and Paramount+ under the control of David Ellison. The merger was preceded by Paramount paying President Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit, a settlement critics described as “bribery” to secure regulatory approval. Since the takeover, CBS News has faced criticism for a perceived shift in its editorial direction to the right, with new appointments including Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief. Paramount president Jeff Shell acknowledged the layoffs would be “painful” but stated they were necessary to avoid recurring quarterly job reductions.
