Bonta: CNN spin-off wouldn’t fix Paramount–WBD antitrust case

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said a CNN spin-off or any CNN divestiture would not resolve the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger lawsuit. Speaking ahead of a TRO hearing led by a 12-state coalition, he emphasized that the lawsuit seeks to block the deal on three concentrated markets (wide-release theatrical, blockbuster licensing, and the cable-channel market) and would require structural remedies, not behavioral promises. There are no settlement talks yet; the coalition remains focused on blocking the merger, while criticising attempts to use public pressure or relocation threats as leverage. The ticking fee and potential California relocation are not considered acceptable remedies to the legal concerns outlined in the complaint.