Warner Bros $111bn Deal with Paramount Controversially Approved
The approval clears a path for a media giant that would add CNN, HBO and CBS, while critics warn of fewer jobs and less choice.
- The US Department of Justice approved the $US111b acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery by Paramount Skydance last week, concluding a "rigorous" investigation found the deal "not likely to result in harm to competition."
- This acquisition establishes Paramount as a dominant force in Hollywood, adding CNN, HBO, TBS, TNT, TCM, DC Studios, and New Line Cinema to its portfolio alongside existing holdings Paramount Pictures, CBS, Showtime, and Nickelodeon.
- In April, more than 1,400 Hollywood actors, directors, and filmmakers signed an open letter opposing the merger, citing concerns about fewer jobs and reduced audience choice stemming from the 10% workforce cut when Skydance merged with Paramount in 2025.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta previously expressed concern the takeover would consolidate the industry; a spokesperson told the BBC the review "remains under investigation" despite Bonta considering legal action earlier this month.
- Paramount's control of CBS News and 60 Minutes faces criticism over decisions by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, while David Ellison, Paramount's leader and son of Trump donor Larry Ellison, remains subject to scrutiny regarding political connections.
42 Articles
42 Articles
‘This is CNN’ could take on a new meaning after Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
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Revealed: Trump's DOJ sidelined antitrust lawyers in rush to approve MAGA media deal
President Donald Trump's Justice Department gave the green light last week to a controversial mega-acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes CNN, by Paramount Skydance, a media giant with a Trump-friendly CEO. But reports suggest they may have rushed the process and ignored the opinions ...
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The Indiana Gazette OnlineParamount Skydance merger with Warner Bros. Discovery won't harm competition, consumers, DOJ says
An investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery has determined that the mammoth Hollywood media merger is not likely to harm competition in the industry or be harmful for consumers. The agency said Friday that it closed its probe into the deal, with regulators at its antitrust division concluding that the impact of the merger “will be to increase competition across the medi…
Trump DOJ Friday News Dumps Its Approval Of The Job-Killing Paramount, Warner Bros Merger
The Trump “Department of Justice’s” “antitrust division” dumped its unsurprising approval of the terrible Paramount Warner Brothers merger late on Friday in the hopes people wouldn’t notice it. As we’ve noted the $111 billion megadeal is a historically harmful mess. Backed by billions in Saudi and Chinese cash (raising all sorts of foreign media influence concerns), the giant deal will saddle the company with so much debt that mass layoffs, cons…
When Will HBO Max & Paramount+ Merge Now That the DOJ Approved the Merger?
The U.S. Department of Justice has cleared Paramount Global’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a landmark deal that sets the stage for the combination of two major streaming platforms into a single powerhouse service. The approval marks a significant step forward in an industry grappling with rising content costs, subscriber churn, and intense competition from […] The post When Will HBO Max & Paramount+ Merge Now That the DOJ Approved the …
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