Judge Sets July 22 Deadline to Decide Paramount-WBD Pause Motion

A U.S. district judge in Oakland said she’ll rule by July 22 on an emergency motion to pause the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, as California and 11 other states seek a temporary restraining order up to 28 days ahead of a potential injunction. The 80-minute hearing focused on how broadly to define the market for theatrical and cable distribution; Paramount argued the states’ market metrics are misleading and that streaming changes competition, while the AGs warned the merger would raise prices and curb competition in box office and basic cable. Paramount has offered not to close for 28 days, and a $7 million-per-day ticking fee could apply if the deal doesn’t close by a deadline, complicating timelines ahead of possible regulatory action in the EU and a Sept. 30 hearing.