CBS is asking the FCC to close its “news distortion” investigation focused on the selective editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Harris. The effort to make the probe go away comes as the contretemps of CBS News’ conduct during the election may be holding up the high stakes acquisition CBS parent company Paramount Global by Skydance Media, which requires government approval. 

CBS legal efforts to fight the Trump Administration, both by pushing back at the FCC probe as well as fighting a $20 billion lawsuit President Trump has brought against the Tiffany Network over the interview, runs in parallel to efforts by Paramount’s senior management to settle the Trump lawsuit.