FCC took pricey gifts from Paramount as the company needed approval for deals

Per ProPublica's investigation reported by Ars Technica, two Federal Communications Commission officials attended an exclusive Kennedy Center honors gala in December. The black-tie event, hosted by President Trump and featuring tickets priced above seventy-five thousand dollars, celebrated icons like Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, and Gloria Gaynor. CBS—owned by Paramount—broadcast the ceremony. Those FCC officials held regulatory authority over deals essential to Paramount's future, raising questions about the propriety of their attendance at an event sponsored by a company under their jurisdiction.

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