Tag

Paramount Wbd

All articles tagged with #paramount wbd

legal3 days ago•19 min saved

Iowa AG Pushes Supreme Court Route in Paramount-WBD Antitrust Fight

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird urged taking California and AG Rob Bonta to the Supreme Court to block Paramount’s $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing California shouldn’t regulate American viewing choices. Bird published a Daily Wire op-ed calling for SCOTUS intervention, but Deadline notes there’s no SCOTUS filing yet and any emergency docket action would likely be delayed past the March 2027 trial. Legal experts discuss original-jurisdiction routes and possible special masters, while critics say the move is politically motivated. Bonta frames the case as straightforward antitrust enforcement, amid broader questions about the merger’s approvals in 68 jurisdictions and potential impacts on jobs and theatrical releases.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #california #iowa

business17 days ago•18 min saved

California AG Seeks Structural Remedies in Paramount-WBD Merger Case

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he would consider structural remedies to resolve the Paramount-WB merger antitrust suit, dismissing “behavioral” remedies like a pledged 30-film-per-year output as unenforceable. He indicated openness to settlement talks and potential divestitures that address competition concerns, while noting the case remains focused on market competition rather than politics and set to go to court in March.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #california

business22 days ago•16 min saved

Lionsgate Chief Backs Paramount-WBD Merger, Urges Certainty Over Delay

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer publicly endorsed Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, saying certainty and the removal of delays are crucial for the industry. In Lionsgate’s earnings call, he praised Paramount CEO David Ellison, floated potential film co-financing and bolstered Paramount+ content as benefits, and argued a bigger Paramount could lift the whole industry even as the $110 billion deal faces antitrust lawsuits and a trial set for next March.

via Deadline|

#business #david-ellison #feltheimer

business23 days ago•15 min saved

Judge Tosses Consumer Antitrust Suit Challenging Paramount-WBD Merger, Allows Revision

A federal judge dismissed the consumer antitrust challenge to the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger for lack of standing but allowed the plaintiffs to file a revised complaint, finding their injuries too generalized and noting only a single past Paramount+ price increase; a separate antitrust case brought by state attorneys general has a March trial date.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #merger

business1 month ago•18 min saved

Ari Emanuel Backs Paramount-WBD Merger, Dismisses Antitrust Suit as Trash

Ari Emanuel, CEO of TKO Group and longtime Hollywood power broker, published a Wall Street Journal op-ed defending Paramount’s planned $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and labeling the states’ antitrust lawsuit against the deal as “trash.” He argues the merger could save Hollywood, contends that competition comes from Netflix, Netflix-related and other digital players, YouTube, and upcoming streaming projects rather than just traditional studios, and accuses regulators of ignoring real competition in a streaming-enabled market. The piece also notes the delay imposes a quarterly $650 million ticking fee on Paramount and underscores Emanuel’s stance that antitrust actions should not be used to settle policy disputes.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #ari-emanuel #business

entertainment1 month ago•16 min saved

SAG-AFTRA Demands Safeguards in Paramount-WBD Deal, Yet Won’t Join WGA Suit

SAG-AFTRA's national board adopted a resolution opposing Paramount Skydance's planned Warner Bros. Discovery merger unless enforceable safeguards — including production guarantees and more US-based work — are added, but the union did not join the WGA’s antitrust lawsuit, instead signaling support for the suits while focusing on the economic impact on its members.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #entertainment #merger

international1 month ago•16 min saved

UNIC Pushes for Harder EU Remedies Over Paramount-WBD Merger

UNIC, representing exhibitors across 39 European territories, says the European Commission’s conditional approval of Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery should have gone further, arguing the remedies address only a narrow set of concerns. It highlights risks outside UIP territories and calls for remedies that extend beyond the UIP footprint, including issues like theatrical windows and access to back catalogs. The EC’s rule includes a 10-year ban on co-distribution with Universal in UIP markets within the EEA, but UNIC says broader safeguards are still needed and it will monitor developments in the US for potential European implications.

via Deadline|

#competition #eu-approval #international

business1 month ago•330 min saved

Bonta says CNN spin-off won’t end Paramount–WBD antitrust battle

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said that a CNN spin-off would not resolve the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger lawsuit, arguing the case centers on competition in the wide-release film market, cable channels and related markets. He stressed there are no settlement talks and that a temporary restraining order to pause the merger is still under consideration, with a ruling expected soon, and dismissed CNN-divestiture discussions as insufficient to address the coalition’s concerns.

via CNN|

#antitrust #business #california

business1 month ago•5 min saved

FCC chair questions legitimacy of multi-state Paramount-WBD challenge

FCC Chair Brendan Carr dismissed the California-led, 12-state antitrust challenge to Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery as “not a legitimate antitrust case,” questioning the theory centered on CNN and signaling the courts will decide; the states seek a temporary restraining order to block closing, while potential delays could complicate financing, and separate shareholder lawsuits and relocation pressures add to the dispute.

via New York Post|

#antitrust #business #california

business1 month ago•17 min saved

Paramount Lawyer Maintains WBD Merger On Track Amid Lawsuits

Paramount’s lead antitrust counsel Jeffrey Kessler said the Warner Bros. Discovery merger can still close on time this quarter (by Sept. 30) despite lawsuits by multiple state attorneys general and a Writers Guild suit; a potential happy agreement or a judge’s decision failure could keep the deal moving, with an appeal to the Supreme Court possible if blocked. Paramount has pledged a $650 million quarterly ticking fee while the deal remains pending, DOJ has approved the merger and UK/EU approvals are still pending.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #jeffrey-kessler

business1 month ago•14 min saved

Court to Hear Emergency Bid to Freeze Paramount-WBD Merger

A federal court will hear an emergency motion by about a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily pause Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Judge P. Casey Pitts set a Friday 10 a.m. PT hearing on a TRO, with Paramount’s opposition due by noon Thursday; the states seek a ruling by July 22, timing that coincides with EU review, even though the DOJ has already cleared the deal.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #emergency-motion

business1 month ago•21 min saved

Attorneys General Sue To Block Paramount-WBD Merger On Antitrust Grounds

A dozen state attorneys general, led by California AG Rob Bonta, filed a federal lawsuit in Sacramento to block Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing the deal would stifle competition in wide-release film distribution, big-budget production, and basic cable channels, potentially raising prices for theaters, distributors, and consumers. They contend Paramount-WB would control a outsized share of box office and cable assets, giving the merged company excessive bargaining power, while Paramount argues the merger would boost competition against streams and pledges to release at least 30 theatrical films annually. A possible injunction could pause the deal as litigation unfolds.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #california

business1 month ago•17 min saved

Sun Valley Showdown: Comcast Split, Paramount-WBD, and AI Dominate the Summit

At Allen & Co.'s Sun Valley gathering, media and tech moguls huddle over Comcast’s plan to split broadband/cable/wireless from NBCUniversal and Sky, Skydance’s progress toward Paramount-WBD, and AI’s rising role in the industry, all amid regulatory scrutiny and ongoing deal-making that could reshape the media landscape.

via Deadline|

#ai #allen-and-co #business

business5 months ago•19 min saved

Brussels Antitrust Review Could Slow Paramount-WBD Merger

The European Commission is set to conduct a multi-stage antitrust review of Paramount's $110 billion deal to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery, a process expected to slow the transaction more than block it. After a 25-working-day preliminary check, Brussels could launch a Phase II review, potentially stretching the timeline beyond a year. The EU will scrutinize overlaps across cinema distribution, TV channels, and streaming platforms, and may require divestitures; the UK review might be simpler. Financing from Middle Eastern funds and the EU's foreign subsidies rules add another layer of scrutiny. Overall, while approval remains likely, EU hurdles could push the close further out than in the U.S.

via The Hollywood Reporter|

#business #eu-antitrust #mergers-acquisitions

politics6 months ago•15 min saved

Netflix Walks Away, Senate Hearing Scrapped on WB Deal

Netflix dropped its bid for Warner Bros., removing a trigger for a Senate antitrust hearing on Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Senate Judiciary antitrust chair Mike Lee gave no clear indication of whether a hearing will be held, while Democrat Cory Booker urged Paramount CEO David Ellison to testify next week.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #hearing #netflix