Larry Ellison, Oracle’s Founder, Expands Ambitions Into Media With TikTok, CBS, Paramount, and CNN — Building a New Power Empire in America
Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old tech billionaire best known as the co-founder of Oracle and the Silicon Valley icon of “work hard, play harder,” is shifting course. After decades devoted to software and a life of luxury, he has unexpectedly chosen a new direction: building a media empire.
From TikTok to CBS, Paramount, and CNN, the Ellison family is redrawing the power map of American media and entertainment. In today’s unique political climate, where President Donald Trump’s support can decide success or failure, this move not only underscores Ellison’s personal ambition but also reflects an unprecedented era of media consolidation.
Larry Ellison’s Media Ambitions
At 81, Oracle’s co-founder Larry Ellison has set his sights on the challenging field of media. After decades in technology and extravagant living, he is assembling a portfolio that could shift the balance of power in America’s media industry.
Oracle, where Ellison holds more than a 40% stake, has become one of the investors in the new U.S. version of TikTok. The app, with around 170 million domestic users, is considered a “prize” after Congress forced ByteDance to divest over national security concerns. Thanks to Oracle’s existing role as TikTok’s U.S. data infrastructure provider, this deal opens a door for the company to push deeper into consumer markets.
Ellison’s investment in U.S. TikTok reveals his growing media ambitions.
Although the ownership structure of U.S. TikTok remains unclear, observers believe its shareholders will include figures favored by President Trump. The Murdoch family, owners of Fox News, have been suggested by Trump as potential participants. This political angle is crucial, given that large-scale media deals often face legal barriers.
The Ellison family’s ambitions don’t stop at TikTok. His son, David Ellison, has completed an $8 billion deal to take control of Paramount and CBS, and is now preparing to acquire Warner, including CNN. If successful, this would mark the first time a single family simultaneously controlled TikTok, CBS News, and CNN — an unprecedented level of influence in American media history.
According to historian Michael Socolow, what sets these deals apart is their cross-platform impact. “The ability to shape editorial direction across TikTok, CBS News, and CNN opens up an entirely new world for the Ellison family,” Socolow said. In the digital age, where geographic and platform boundaries are fading, the ambitions of the world’s second-richest man are drawing even more attention.
From Silicon Valley to a Lasting Legacy
Larry Ellison currently holds a net worth of more than $367 billion, at times even surpassing Elon Musk as the world’s richest person. This wealth primarily stems from his Oracle stake, as the company’s stock has surged in recent years. With virtually unlimited financial power, Ellison faces few traditional obstacles in building his media empire.
Born in 1944, Ellison co-founded Oracle in 1977 with two partners. From a software company that once teetered on bankruptcy, Oracle rose to become a leading global tech giant. Ellison, not seen as a technical genius, gained fame for his salesmanship and networking skills. Parallel to his career, he cultivated a lavish lifestyle: multiple marriages, ownership of Hawaii’s Lanai Island, luxury real estate, superyachts, and even a retired Italian Navy fighter jet.
Ellison once surpassed Elon Musk to become the world’s richest man.
Beyond business, Ellison has invested in philanthropy and science. At Oxford University, he established the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), aiming to transform academic research into life-science enterprises. However, the institute soon faced turbulence when prominent scientist John Bell resigned after just over a year.
Sources say Ellison frequently intervened, attending meetings and engaging directly with leadership, sparking tension over commercialization strategies and long-term financial commitments. Still, Bell admitted Ellison’s involvement was a turning point for British science, as he chose to build a legacy beyond the U.S.
Throughout his career, Oracle’s co-founder has been described as a model of the tech entrepreneur. If his media ambitions succeed, his legacy will extend far beyond Oracle, reaching into the realm of global information power — a legacy surpassing the software empire that made Larry Ellison’s name.
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