A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the monitor would report to Trump. The monitor will report to the President of Paramount, not to the President of the United States. The article is still important for folks to read so I’m sending it corrected. I apologize for getting it wrong.
In a move that would have seemed like satire a few years ago—perhaps something ripped straight from an especially cynical episode of South Park—the federal government under Donald Trump has successfully strong-armed one of the most powerful media companies in America into adopting a "bias monitor" and eliminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs as a condition of merger approval. This isn’t a dystopian Netflix pitch. It’s policy now.
Now more than ever independent media is important. As an independent journalist, I do not have a “bias monitor.” I am not beholden to Donald Trump or corporate executives. I am only beholden to you, the people. Please subscribe today and help me keep speaking up and being loud, even in the face of pushback.
Last Thursday, FCC commissioner Brendan Carr approved the $8 billion merger between Skydance Media and Paramount—an act that would normally garner attention for its financial and creative implications. But we now know that this merger came with a disturbing catch: government-mandated ideological restructuring. Paramount must now hire an ombudsman—essentially a political commissar—tasked with flagging any perceived "bias" at CBS News.
To say this is unprecedented is an understatement. We’ve entered a new phase of culture war: not one merely waged on social media or cable news, but one enforced by regulatory muscle.
While Trump’s first term was marked by a toxic rhetorical war against the press—“enemy of the people,” “fake news,” “scum”—his second term appears more tactically effective. He’s not just yelling anymore; he’s governing. And he's using the full power of the federal government to reshape the media landscape in his image.
The timing is impossible to ignore. Only days before this merger approval, CBS canceled The Colbert Report, an iconic show known for its sharp political satire—particularly when directed at Trump. The cancellation followed shortly after Paramount agreed to pay Trump a $16 million settlement over what he claimed was the “unfair editing” of an interview with Kamala Harris. Legal experts called the suit frivolous. But it didn't matter. The settlement came. The show got axed. And a billion-dollar merger received a presidential green light—so long as CBS cleansed itself of both "bias" and DEI.
The Trump White House has also now taken to issuing official condemnations of comedians. Last week, Joy Behar was labeled “an irrelevant loser” by the administration for a tame joke about Trump’s jealousy of Barack Obama. South Park—which has lampooned every political figure imaginable—was attacked for being “irrelevant” after an episode featured Trump in bed with Satan.
It’s worth asking: What happens to a culture when satire becomes suspect? When jokes become federal offenses in all but name?
When media companies start thinking twice about airing an SNL skit, a political cartoon, or even a provocative drama because the White House might retaliate financially or regulatorily—that’s not just chilling. That’s totalitarian adjacent.
We can mock the absurdity of a federal government that obsesses over comedy sketches and internal DEI training slides. But that mockery must be paired with alarm—and action. Because this isn’t theoretical. It’s happening now. And it’s happening fast.
Media institutions must decide whether they are in the business of truth or the business of survival. Journalists must decide whether they are stenographers or storytellers. And the public—you, reading this—must decide whether you’re comfortable with your government telling late-night comedians what they can joke about and newsrooms who they can hire.
Paramount has capitulated. Others may soon follow. The question is: who will stand?
Share this post