On 'Daily Variety' podcast, Skydance Media's overtures accelerate FCC approval of Paramount Global deal; Why Steve Stoute is Music Mogul of the Year.

Skydance has emphasized that the commitments are voluntary. Previously, Skydance and Paramount had argued against conditions imposed by the FCC to mandate benchmarks for viewpoint neutrality, saying that they would be “squarely foreclosed by the First Amendment and Supreme Court precedent.”

The chair of the Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday he is pleased with commitments that Skydance has made to make serious changes at CBS under a proposed merger with Paramount , but said the agency has not made a decision on the tie-up.