Paramount refused to air an ad criticizing its merger with Warner Bros.

Viewers who tuned in On Paramount+ streaming for UFC Freedom 250 On Sunday night, it was held to celebrate President Trump’On its 80th birthday as well as the country’s half-centenary, we were treated to a surreal spectacle of mixed martial artists beating each other bloodied in a massive cage mounted on The white house Grass. But there was one painful blow they missed: an attack ad Merger agreement worth $111 billion between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery.

That’s because Paramount refused to air the ad, according to the Foundation for Freedom of the Press, the nonprofit advocacy group that submitted the ad to run during the event.

30 seconds rejected spot Trump is offering to label journalists as “enemies of the people” and suggested that Trump-aligned Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison could force CNN, Warner Bros.’ flagship news network, to tone down its reporting on the president and his administration.

The ad highlighted an April New York Times story about Ellison Have a private party In honor of Trump as Paramount awaited approval of its proposed acquisition, which was carried out by the Department of Justice Cleared on Friday. It also quoted Scott Pelley, its recently fired correspondent 60 minutes Amid backlash over changes at Paramount-owned CBS News overseen by Ellison and network editor Barry Weiss. Billy The alleged one that the new executive leadership wanted him to “inject lies and bias” into his reporting in an attempt to “earn a moment of favor with the Trump administration.”

The FPF announcement warns that if the Paramount-WBD deal goes ahead, CNN journalists could soon be in trouble The corporate mandate is similarNoting Trump’s support for the takeover comment From Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in March: “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” (Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, the billionaire founder of software company Oracle, also supports Trump and played a key role in establishing the family’s media empire, including a majority stake in Paramount.)

“Let’s stop Trump’s censorship and prevent this merger,” the ad’s voiceover concludes. An on-screen link directed to the FPF web page To send letters to congressional representatives demanding an investigation into “Trump and Paramount corruption.” (Disclosure: WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond is a member of the FPF Board of Directors.)

“Ellison will not criticize himself, his company, or his friend Trump,” Seth Stern, FPF’s head of advocacy, said in a statement about the rejected ad. “These antics are bad for freedom of the press, bad for the public, and bad for Paramount — just look at CBS’ recent struggles under Ellison’s watch,” he continued, referring to ongoing turmoil at the network since Ellison’s Skydance Media subsidiary finalized its acquisition of Paramount last August. “Billionaires who don’t respect the First Amendment should stay out of the news.”

FPF claims Paramount refused to air the ad due to a conflict of interest. Stern dismissed that reasoning as hypocritical given the close ties between the media giant, Ellisons, and Trump, saying Paramount “apparently sees no conflict of interest in the Trump administration’s promise of editorial concessions in exchange for merger approvals, or in throwing lavish dinners to honor Trump while he attacks CBS and CNN journalists, or in broadcasting a UFC event that served as an hours-long commercial for Donald Trump and Truth Social.”

Neither the White House nor Paramount responded to a request for comment. CNN declined to comment on the matter.

David Ellison Appearing alongside Trump At Sunday’s UFC event (Paramount has acquired exclusive broadcast rights to the sport in A seven-year deal worth $7.7 billion Last year) had a victory lap atmosphere. But state prosecutors He can still sue To prevent Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros., officials in California, New York and other states are moving He is reportedly preparing to do so. Even if this is just a several-month delay to the deal, the delay could continue through the crucial midterm election cycle — a time when Trump and his supporters will need all the positive press they can get.