Paramount seals states' antitrust settlement over Warner buyout, pledges newsroom protections

Paramount Global reached a settlement with several states over its Warner Bros. Discovery deal, resolving the antitrust challenge without a full divestiture and instead implementing an editorial-board structure to protect CNN and CBS News’ independence. The Writers Guild of America also settled its separate suit. The settlement follows Paramount’s delay of closing and carries political and industry scrutiny of consolidation, with California touting safeguards for jobs and the creative economy and critics warning about ongoing cuts in media competition.