Data Barons: Ellisons' Media Empire Rivals Oil Titans

Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old Oracle founder with a net worth of $345 billion, is set to reshape the U.S. media landscape through a sweeping consolidation of major entertainment and news entities. Alongside his son David, the 42-year-old CEO of Skydance Media, the Ellisons are poised to control CBS, Paramount, CNN, and TikTok, creating a media dynasty that rivals historical figures like Rupert Murdoch .

The Ellisons' media ambitions began in August 2025 when David's Skydance Media finalized an $8 billion merger with Paramount Global, forming the new Paramount Skydance Corporation. This deal combines Skydance's production capabilities with Paramount's media assets, including CBS, MTV, Showtime, and Nickelodeon. David Ellison now serves as Chairman and CEO, while former NBC Universal executive Jeff Shell is President. The merger was approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the European Commission, with Reuters calling it a "landmark consolidation in the U.S. media industry" . The new entity has already explored a potential bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, HBO, and TBS .

Simultaneously, Larry Ellison's Oracle has become central to TikTok's U.S. operations. Under President Donald Trump's executive order, Oracle, along with private equity firm Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi's MGX, will hold 45% of TikTok's U.S. branch, valued at $14 billion. The restructuring requires ByteDance, TikTok's Beijing-based parent, to retain less than 20% ownership, with Oracle overseeing U.S. user data on secure servers. A new board, including Ellison, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Dell, will manage content moderation and technology policy. Trump's order grants TikTok 120 days to finalize the deal, or face a potential nationwide ban .

The Ellisons' media strategy leverages both traditional and digital platforms. Paramount Skydance's portfolio includes major broadcast rights, such as exclusive U.S. coverage of UFC events, while TikTok's 170 million U.S. users represent a significant shift in media consumption. Analysts note that controlling TikTok, CBS, and CNN could grant the Ellisons unprecedented influence over public opinion, particularly as TikTok has become a key news source for 20% of U.S. adults .

Larry Ellison's transition from tech to media is rooted in his long-standing political connections. A major Trump donor and pandemic advisor, Ellison's alignment with the administration facilitated regulatory approvals for both the Paramount merger and TikTok deal. His vision, however, extends beyond political influence. Oracle's data-centric approach-evident in its AI-driven cloud services-suggests the Ellisons aim to monetize vast user data from their media properties. As former Oracle executive George Polisner notes, "He may be looking primarily at the value of the data and advertising revenue from harvesting that data" .

The consolidation raises concerns about media monopolization. Media historian Michael Socolow describes the potential control of CBS News, TikTok, and CNN as "historically unprecedented," with "incredible potential to persuade Americans" . Critics warn of political bias, particularly given Trump's endorsement of the TikTok deal. However, the Ellisons have not publicly commented on editorial direction, emphasizing operational stability over ideological shifts.

The Ellisons' media empire now rivals the scale of the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, but in the attention economy, data is the new oil. With Oracle's cloud infrastructure securing TikTok's U.S. data and Paramount Skydance's global entertainment reach, the family's influence could redefine media ownership in the digital age.