‘I run the company.’ Paramount’s David Ellison addresses his father’s involvement

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Larry Ellison, the tech billionaire, recently invested a significant amount of money to give his family a controlling interest in Paramount. If Paramount were to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Ellison would likely need to invest even more.

People in Hollywood have been wondering just how much influence Brad Ellison’s father has on the decisions and day-to-day workings at Paramount.

David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount, says he talks to his father daily, but he also made a key point to separate their relationship.

David Ellison clarified on Thursday at Bloomberg’s Screentime conference that he is currently in charge of the company’s daily operations. He also described his father as an exceptional mentor, emphasizing their strong relationship.

Larry Ellison shared with me that this person is the company’s biggest investor. What really struck me was how focused they are – it’s all about getting the most value for those who own stock. Ellison genuinely believes they’re the absolute best in the world at that, and honestly, I can see why he feels that way.

Since August, when the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners bought Paramount, its stock price has increased by over 50%. A large part of this growth happened last month after reports surfaced that Paramount was considering buying Warner Bros. Discovery – the company behind CNN, TBS, Food Network, and a major movie and TV production studio.

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After his family acquired the historic Paramount studio, David Ellison is now getting comfortable in his new role, just one week in.

Larry Ellison didn’t say anything about Paramount trying to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, nor did he confirm if he’d already made an offer.

He explained the thinking behind any potential business move, and attempted to reassure people that a large merger wouldn’t necessarily lead to cuts in jobs or spending on content.

According to Ellison, their main priority is always threefold: supporting creative talent, delivering value to shareholders, and fostering compelling storytelling. They plan to increase production of both movies and TV shows, recognizing that strong content is essential.

I’m hearing some really worrying news about Paramount. Apparently, they’re planning some big layoffs next month as they try to cut costs by over $2 billion. It’s tough to see, and I really feel for everyone who works there right now.

Since taking over, Paramount’s Ellison has focused on strengthening relationships with performers and creators. One major move was a seven-year deal with TKO Group Holdings to secure the U.S. media rights to UFC’s mixed martial arts events for $7.7 billion.

The company expanded its operations by building a production facility in Texas for Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the popular show “Yellowstone.” They also secured streaming rights to the Comedy Central cartoon “South Park” with a $1.5 billion agreement over five years. Furthermore, Paramount signed an exclusive four-year deal with Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of “Stranger Things,” bringing them over from Netflix for television, streaming, and film projects.

This week, Paramount purchased the news website The Free Press for $150 million and appointed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor in chief of CBS News.

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As someone who loves a good story, I’m really intrigued by this move. A former opinion editor from the New York Times, who also started a new media venture called Free Press, is now jumping into the often-chaotic world of TV news. It’s a tough landscape right now, but it’ll be fascinating to see what they do.

Warner Bros. Discovery, with CEO David Zaslav at the helm, hasn’t commented on Paramount’s potential interest in a deal. However, sources within the company indicate Zaslav might welcome a competitive bidding situation.

No other companies have said they’re interested, and Netflix’s Greg Peters dismissed the rumors on Wednesday.

Peters explained that the company has a long history of creating things internally instead of acquiring them. He also pointed out that large mergers often don’t succeed, based on past experience.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, Paramount, with backing from Larry Ellison, is planning a mostly cash offer to buy Warner Bros., the company behind CNN, HBO, and a famous film and television studio.

But Wall Street widely expects more consolidation among entertainment firms.

Ellison pointed out that David Zaslav previously argued media companies need to consolidate, and that many potential deals are available. However, he wouldn’t provide any further details.

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Paramount Chief David Ellison has publicly supported the film ‘Red Alert,’ which premiered on October 7th, and has spoken out against calls for a boycott of Israel from within the entertainment industry. This stance has drawn criticism from some of the company’s employees.

As a movie fan, I’ve been following the potential sale of Paramount, and it seems like they’re in a really unique position. From what I understand, most other big media companies just don’t have the money to make a serious offer. But Paramount has something extra going for it – a good relationship with Donald Trump and his team, which a lot of other companies, like Comcast, don’t have. That connection could really give them an edge in any deal.

Donald Trump and Larry Ellison have a friendly relationship. Following a conversation between David Ellison and Trump at a UFC fight in June, Paramount’s previous leadership made progress in resolving Trump’s lawsuit related to a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris from the previous fall. In July, Paramount paid $16 million to settle the suit, and shortly after, the Federal Communications Commission approved Larry Ellison’s acquisition of Paramount.

“We have a good relationship with the administration,” David Ellison said.

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2025-10-10 00:02