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Ballard Partners has signed on to represent Paramount Global for regulatory and legislative issues affecting the media business.
The entertainment giant is in the midst of selling itself to Skydance Media for $8.4B. That deal, which includes the transfer of broadcast licenses, must be approved by Donald Trump’s Federal Communications Commission. Brendan Carr, whom Trump picked to chair the FCC, has said the Paramount/Skydance requires close scrutiny.
Trump also has sued Paramount Global’s “60 Minutes” program over an October interview that it conducted with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
He claimed 60 Minutes edited the piece to make Harris look good. CBS has filed a motion to discuss the case, and Trump’s team has until Jan. 24 to respond.
Paramount is reportedly discussing how it might settle the suit with the president.
Brian Ballard, who is a top Trump fund-raiser, handles the Paramount business.
Patrick Kilcur, who was executive VP-US government affairs at the Motion Picture Association, and a key aide to former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, backstops Ballard.
Knob Petroleum, which is based in Panama City, has retained Ballard Partners to explore opportunities in Venezuela.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck has signed to represent Eastern Air Holdings, which operates deportation flights for Immigration & Customs Enforcement.
Ballard Partners has lined up Australia’s Energy Transition Minerals company, an explorer and developer of rare earths minerals opportunities. It touts its Greenland property as having the potential to become the biggest rare earths producer in the western world.
Abbvie has retained Trump-connected Winston-Salem-based Checkmate Government Relations for healthcare matters and issues related to the life sciences sector.
Netflix has retained Bloom Strategic Counsel for regulatory matters regarding its proposed $83B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
