By Danny R. Johnson – Political News Editor
New York, NY–The tragic and fatal shooting of MAGA right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has unleashed a voracious response from President Donald Trump and the conservative corporate media moguls, who control most of the nation’s cable and news entities. Let me introduce you to one of those influential oligarchs – Larry Ellison.
Larry Ellison’s ascent is not merely a story of wealth and ambition, but a tale of seismic shifts in the landscape of American media and political influence. With his sights set on some of the largest and most influential news and entertainment companies, Ellison is orchestrating a campaign that could reshape the narratives reaching millions of households. His approach is strategic and relentless, leveraging not only vast financial resources but also deep connections within the technological and conservative Republican Party-political spheres.
What makes Ellison’s pursuit unique is its overt political dimension. Unlike previous moguls whose acquisitions appeared driven by business interests or vanity, Ellison seems determined to create a consolidated media empire with the potential to influence public opinion and political outcomes. His alignment with prominent political figures adds another layer of complexity, suggesting a future where editorial direction and news coverage may increasingly lean toward his ideological preferences.
As negotiations and acquisitions accelerate, industry insiders and political analysts alike are watching with a mix of concern and fascination. If successful, Ellison’s media empire would not simply rival those of his predecessors—it could fundamentally alter the media’s role as a check on power, blurring the boundaries between news, entertainment, and advocacy in unprecedented ways.
Ellison, founder of Oracle and major investor in CBS and Paramount, is now pursuing stakes in CNN, HBO, and TikTok. At 81, he could become one of America’s most influential media moguls. His moves may have a significant impact, potentially rivaling Rupert Murdoch’s transformation of Fox News and its role in increasing political polarization.
Suppose Ellison succeeds in Hollywood and big media. In that case, his involvement may surpass that of other tech leaders, such as Jeff Bezos and Marc Benioff, whose purchases of The Washington Post and Time Magazine were more of personal interest than major business moves.
Ellison is shifting towards media ownership, potentially controlling a central social media platform, a prominent movie studio, a top streaming service, and two leading news outlets with his son, David. Due to Ellison’s support of Donald Trump, this could result in significant political
influence. The move started with David acquiring Paramount Skydance, merging Paramount Global with Skydance Media. After the August merger, the Ellisons signed a $7.7 billion, seven-year deal for CBS and Paramount to stream and broadcast the Ultimate Fighting Championship, whose executive is aligned with Trump.
The Ellisons have also made no secret from their intention to move CBS News to the right. They are negotiating to acquire The Free Press, a heterodox publication co-founded by Bari Weiss that prioritizes criticism of “woke” culture and put Weiss in a senior position at CBS News. The Ellisons also hired Kenneth Weinstein, the former chief executive of the conservative Hudson Institute. See where this is going? If all goes as planned, Trump could soon hand an 80 percent stake in TikTok, the powerful social media platform, to the existing shareholders, among them KKR and General Atlantic, plus a new consortium that includes Ellison’s Oracle and the Silicon Valley venture capital firm, whose co-founder, Marc Andreessen, has close ties with the administration.
In addition, the Ellisons are reportedly preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which some estimates place at around $80 billion. Warner Bros. Discovery owns entities such as HBO Max, the Warner Bros. movie studio, and CNN.
If Paramount Skydance makes an all-cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, it will likely succeed since few competitors are interested or able to match the Ellisons’ cash. Regulatory resistance is not expected under the current leadership, so Warner Bros. Discovery may end up accepting the offer.
There will be plenty of jobs lost because of the “synergies” that the Ellisons will promise investors they will find. That will be painful. But of even greater consequence from the combination of these assets under the control of Ellison will be the expectation — and probably the reality — that these critical media outlets will, like Fox News, march toward a more Trump-friendly worldview.
Who knows why the Ellisons seem to be moving in this direction? Is it good for business? Is it just easier to bend the knee to Trump? Do they really believe in the Trump agenda and all his MAGA propaganda?
No matter their motives, two independent journalistic voices, CBS News and CNN, could soon be combined into something potentially almost unrecognizable, something way too close to what is served up daily by the Murdochs. And that will put yet another chink in the fragile armor that is America’s democracy.
