FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

Foreign ownership & media influence

• Many worry about nearly half of Paramount (and associated assets like CNN, CBS, HBO) ending up owned by Gulf sovereign wealth funds.
• Concerns center on potential content shifts toward the political and cultural preferences of those governments (e.g., soft-pedaling critical coverage, changing entertainment standards).
• One commenter argues media companies should have zero foreign ownership; another questions how that principle would apply to dual citizens.

“America First” rhetoric vs actions

• Multiple comments see the deal as contradicting “America First” / “MAGA” promises about jobs, domestic investment, and national control.
• Some frame the slogan as always having been a lie or mere marketing for self‑enrichment.
• Others say foreign direct investment is economically positive and not inherently at odds with such rhetoric.

US party politics and policy follow-through

• Debate over whether politicians generally keep promises:
  • Some insist most try but are blocked by institutions.
  • Others see pervasive bad faith and say both parties have “sold us out.”
• Strong disagreement on “both-sides” framing:
  • One side argues Democrats at least try on healthcare and student debt but are blocked by Republicans and courts.
  • Another emphasizes that both parties use propaganda, protect donors, and avoid obvious popular reforms (e.g., marijuana legalization).

California as governance case study

• California is used as an example in both directions:
  • Critics say it shows one-party Democratic rule still produces high taxes, infrastructure failures, and housing crises.
  • Defenders counter that it remains one of the world’s largest economies with major advantages (education, environment, rights), and many structural problems (like Prop 13) aren’t purely partisan.

Middle East alliances & Islamophobia

• Some note the irony that US elites eagerly partner with rich Gulf states while parts of the US electorate remain Islamophobic.
• Discussion touches on how urban/rural divides, education, and exposure to Muslims may shape attitudes, with disagreement over how strong those effects are.

Media power, cable decline & new platforms

• Several argue CNN and cable news are now niche, aging-audience outlets with limited political influence compared with YouTube, TikTok, and independent creators.
• Others respond that even diminished legacy outlets still matter for agenda-setting and election-night legitimacy.