Trump-allied executive David Ellison was trying to convince critics that he wouldn't let his company's acquisition of CNN impact the news organization's reporting, an analyst reported on Tuesday.
The Paramount Skydance owner responed to stalled-out purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery and wrote a New York Times op-ed on Tuesday, aiming to reassure critics that he wouldn't let his relationship with President Donald Trump influence his ownership or business decisions, The Daily Beast's Leigh Kimmons wrote.
"The billionaire nepo baby insisted his personal politics will not dictate newsroom decisions, responding directly to an antitrust lawsuit that threatens to torpedo the $111 billion mega-merger," Kimmons explained.
Ellison wrote this in his opinion piece for The Times.
“I believe that news should be based on facts and truth. Great news organizations like CNN and CBS News are here to tell it straight down the middle," Ellison wrote. "That requires newsrooms that reflect the whole world, not one side of it. And it requires independence. Our journalists will continue to answer to the facts and to all the people they serve—not to any party or cause.”
He also spoke about why he remained quiet over the court battle involving the media conglomerates — admitting "that staying quiet had backfired," Kimmons wrote.
"While I was silent, others were happy to write my story for me," Ellison wrote. "No more."
Kimmons called out the comment, given the ongoing disputes at CBS over political influence at the storied broadcasting company.
"The plea rings hollow given the overhaul at CBS, where Weiss caused dismay when she shelved a 60 Minutes episode on El Salvador’s CECOT prison after administration officials declined to be interviewed," Kimmons reported. "Veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi blasted the move in an email to colleagues, calling the administration’s refusal to participate 'a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story.'"