Paramount Completes £5.9bn Skydance Merger After Trump Settlement; Broadcaster 5 Returns to Profit
Paramount Plus has finalised a £5.9bn merger with Skydance Media, following a £13.5m settlement with former US President Donald Trump. This news comes as Broadcaster 5, now rebranded as '5' and owned by Paramount Plus since 2014, has reported a return to profit after a challenging year.
Broadcaster 5, which secured a new 10-year broadcast licence from Ofcom in 2025, saw its turnover decline from £399m in 2023 to £318m in 2024. This reduction was attributed to a tough linear advertising market and adjustments in programme expenditure. Despite this, the broadcaster returned to profit in 2024 with a pre-tax profit of £30.6m. However, operating profit fell from £112.4m in 2023 to £21m in 2024.
Since its takeover by Paramount Plus in 2014, Broadcaster 5 has been in profit for nine out of 10 years. It has maintained operating profit for four consecutive years since 2020, excluding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The rebrand to '5' in March 2025 reflects the broadcaster's evolution and Paramount Plus's commitment to UK public service broadcasting.
Paramount Plus's £5.9bn merger with Skydance Media, coupled with Broadcaster 5's return to profit, signals a positive outlook for the company's future. The new 10-year broadcast licence from Ofcom further endorses Broadcaster 5's role in UK public service broadcasting.
