Leading media analyst has proposed a strikingly unconventional strategy for Comcast to secure Donald Trump’s approval in its attempt to acquire rival media conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery. Rich Greenfield, a partner at LightShed, suggested that Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts could “win Trump’s heart” by appointing Erika Kirk – the widow of slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk – as the top editor overseeing the merged company’s news divisions, including CNN and NBC News.
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Greenfield’s comments came as Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, continues its aggressive pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery. Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, is a close ally of Trump, a fact that may strengthen Paramount’s position in securing regulatory approval. While Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav has signalled that the company is open to other offers, reports suggest the Trump administration is more inclined towards a buyer who already enjoys the president’s support. Trump is said to hold a personal dislike for Comcast’s Brian Roberts, whom he has criticised repeatedly in public.
In his analysis, Greenfield wrote that Comcast may need to “think big and differently” to overcome this obstacle. He proposed that the company could spin off its television assets – including NBCUniversal channels – into a separate firm called Versant, reducing Roberts’s voting power and appeasing Trump by limiting his control over NBC and MSNBC. Going further, Greenfield suggested that Erika Kirk could be appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the combined CNN, NBC, and MSNBC news networks to shift their perceived editorial bias, echoing Paramount’s recent decision to name conservative commentator Bari Weiss to a senior position at CBS News.
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Greenfield further claimed that Comcast has already taken steps to improve relations with Trump’s administration, including a “sizable donation” to the White House Ballroom renovation. He added that Trump might seek to use the Warner Bros. Discovery merger process as an opportunity to influence the future direction of major American news outlets. Whether such proposals would be seriously considered remains uncertain, but the suggestion highlights how political calculations could shape the media landscape in the years ahead.
