David Ellison Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic via Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment In his first few minutes as the chief of the newly titled Paramount Skydance, David Ellison took the microphone and mostly deflected a bunch of questions from reporters who've followed every turn of the 13-month journey to close the $8 billion deal to take control of the studio. The message from the mogul was also blunt: Technology is coming to Hollywood, regardless of whether studios choose to embrace it, so Paramount hopes to take an artist-driven approach to it. The Oracle heir spoke about his affinity for the film and television business - and said the words that all talent wants to hear, they are first and foremost important in a storytelling company - but also signaled that he's much more willing to experiment with new tech that can "turbocharge" Paramount's IP, which includes SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yellowstone and more. Related Stories Top Son David Ellison's High Wire Act Business Paramount Rounds Out Its Executive Ranks Under David Ellison The CEO tried to distance himself from the $16 million deal that the Shari Redstone-led leadership made with President Trump to settle his 60 Minutes lawsuit. Pressed by reporters about whether Ellison's Paramount Skydance had a side deal to air public service announcements, the Oracle heir and new CEO of the company said that settlement had been made by prior leadership. He also stuck to the script when peppered by questions about 60 Minutes independence - whether the C-suite would keep tabs on what the venerable news magazine was doing - and referred journalists to previously published statements. Ellison, flanked by president Jeff Shell, chairman of TV media George Cheeks and COO Andy Gordon, spoke with reporters about the deal close on Thursday while at Paramount's Times Square office during a media presentation. Over and over, the buzz word among executives who'd gathered was how they were taking care to be "non-political" in this particular moment, to avoid getting caught up in soundbites that'd echo across a partisan media landscape. "We're ready to move past the noise," the CEO said, despite the lobbed questions geared toward Trump, 60 Minutes independence and FCC maneuvering. Instead, Ellison pivoted to talking about unifying the tech stack (the backend technology) that powers Paramount+, BET+ and PlutoTV, while acknowledging that there'd be cost-cutting to come. Look for the November earnings call for those financial outlook details, the execs said, while also appearing to imply that further layoff decisions wouldn't be a quarter-by-quarter occurrence. Shell, for one, signaled that he's looking forward to finally getting to work implementing the new Skydance plan at Paramount after sitting on the sidelines as the company underwent regulatory review, a a drawn out process that, lets just say, certainly didn't stay "non-political." The new Paramount Skydance will trade on the Nasdaq as "PSKY" in its latest incarnation. In an open letter to shareholders on Thursday, Ellison wrote that he wants "to empower our creative partners with technology that will enable them to tell bigger, more compelling stories fueled by human ingenuity" but that the company "will face some hard but necessary decisions to align our team for growth and efficiency." More to come. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up F1 Formula One Group Sees Revenue Boost From Apple's 'F1' Movie paramount skydance Paramount Skydance Sets New Contracts and Compensation Plans for David Ellison and Jeff Shell imax Apple Cinemas, Imax Sign New Five-Theater Deal Paramount Global Paramount Golden Parachutes: Co-CEOs Chris McCarthy, Brian Robbins to Get $18 Million Payouts paramount skydance Skydance Closes $8 Billion Paramount Deal, Creating "Next-Generation Media and Tech" Giant ESPN Dick's Sporting Goods Launches Entertainment Studio F1 Formula One Group Sees Revenue Boost From Apple's 'F1' Movie paramount skydance Paramount Skydance Sets New Contracts and Compensation Plans for David Ellison and Jeff Shell imax Apple Cinemas, Imax Sign New Five-Theater Deal Paramount Global Paramount Golden Parachutes: Co-CEOs Chris McCarthy, Brian Robbins to Get $18 Million Payouts paramount skydance Skydance Closes $8 Billion Paramount Deal, Creating "Next-Generation Media and Tech" Giant ESPN Dick's Sporting Goods Launches Entertainment Studio