Deadline hears that Edgar Bronfman, Jr. has made an offer for Paramount Global in a deal worth $4.3 billion, attempting to undo Par’s merger with Skydance.
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Investors backing Bronfman’s bid for Paramount Global include producer Steven Paul and John Paul Dejoria, who months ago had been working on their own offer, as well as child actor Brock Pierce and Nurali Aliyev, a Kazakh businessman and grandson of the former president of Kazakhstan. UK investment firm BC Partners and Fortress Investment Group are other names in the mix, Deadline has learned.
Bronfman, the chair of Fubo, scion of the Seagram drinks empire and former head of Universal and Warner Music, is said to be pitching his offer as cleaner and less dilutive than Skydance’s, since it doesn’t include a merger.
I don’t like the sound of this offer. There doesn’t seem to be some semblance of maintaining content and assets like sky dance does.
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Paramount will unveil its 2025 Upfront in Sydney on Monday September 16.
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Anyone got any hints? Only new thing I have seen is local version of house hunters.
I was hoping they would swoop on AGT or Big brother but I’m sure we would have heard whispers on that by now if that was the case.
Celebrity version of the traitors would be good as I was a fan but having now watched the US version, they need to up the production values on the AU one as the US one looks a lot slicker.
Surely they will be looking for a new format for Osher if not simply returning masked singer to our screens.
And knowing networks, I think they will all announce at least one new game show .
could we finally see the airing of the Jeopardy episodes filmed in London that was hosted by Steven Fry, leading into a local version?
Wrong show and network and host there bud.
Do you mean Wheel of Fortune with Graham Norton on 10 or Jeopardy with Stephen Fry on 9 which already aired?
i didn’t even know it aired. great marketing there by 9…
To be fair you are in the 10 thread so you didn’t even know which channel it was on.
It aired Saturday nights earlier this year on Nine.
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Man, this Paramount/Skydance chatter has as many twists and turns as the endless ARN/Southern Cross Austereo acquisition discussion…
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i swear this is merger process is turning into a season of Morning Wars on Apple TV+ … 
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Skydance included a “go shop” clause in their binding agreement, encouraging Paramount and its special committee to actively seek out rival bids. This effectively suggests that Skydance themselves are unhappy or unwilling to let the process proceed, even though their own deal terms allow for it.
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ChangeX and Paramount Global Launch World Mental Health Day Community Fund
New grant initiative funded by Paramount Global now available to support communities to turn awareness into action on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2024.
Funding will support up to 200 community projects across 10 countries, and can now be accessed HERE.
ChangeX, the community engagement platform, and Paramount Global, today announced the launch of the World Mental Health Day Community Fund, a new multi-region mental health and well-being focused community fund.
The fund will support communities to start or expand projects that positively impact mental health and well-being in the UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Netherlands, France and Chile. Communities can apply for funding now through September 14, 2024, to encourage action to commence on World Mental Health Day on October 10 2024.
This initiative is part of Paramount’s ongoing commitment to support mental health and well-being around the world. The World Mental Health Day Community Fund builds on the success of the U.S. focused grant program timed to Mental Health Action Day (the third Thursday in May) spearheaded by Paramount’s SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios and supported by select CBS-owned local stations. This year, grants were provided to 22 non-profit organisations reaching young people across the country for local activations.
“At Paramount, we are committed to our legacy of creating impact through initiatives and campaigns to drive change in support of critical social issues, including mental health. Launching this initiative in many markets around the world will further the ability of communities to take action and promote mental health and well-being,” said Crystal Barnes, Executive Vice President of Social Impact and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Paramount.
Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact, ChangeX, said: “We are delighted to partner with Paramount to support communities in 10 countries, providing support to local projects that promote mental health and well-being.”
The fund will support up to 200 community projects with grants of up to $2,000 USD available. Applicants can apply for funding for one of two options: to bring a proven mental health and well-being focused idea to life, such as mindful meals and sidewalk listening, or fund an original idea for a mental health and well-being focused community project. Funding to adopt proven ideas will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to qualifying applicants.
About ChangeX
ChangeX is a community engagement platform designed to get funding and resources directly into the hands of ordinary people to lead impactful projects in their neighborhoods. ChangeX was established in 2015. It works with social innovators to scale proven solutions to environmental, economic and social issues and partners with companies and foundations to support local communities with the necessary funding. Its funders include Microsoft, Accenture and the LEGO Foundation, among others. ChangeX is an international non-profit organisation, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with teams based across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
Bronfman’s bid is no more.
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A special committee of Paramount Global‘s board set up to steer its M&A process has declared an end to the “go-shop” period in its pending Skydance Media merger and says the transaction will close in the first half of 2025.
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Of note:
Larry Ellison is a major donor to Republican super PACs, and his politics raise concerns about using Paramount as a vehicle for conservative causes, said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a Washington-based advocacy group.
“There must be guarantees of journalistic and editorial independence from the station group and related video services,” Chester said in an email.
The FCC approves changes in ownership of broadcast TV stations. The filing says the new owners intend to “preserve and enhance the legacy” of the CBS TV network and the company’s 28 owned and operated local stations.
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