All articles tagged with #paramount wbd merger
Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery appears close to DOJ approval; Fox is paying under $500 million for FIFA World Cup broadcast rights; NFL expansion to an 18-game schedule by 2027 is described as highly unlikely; the article also covers NBC Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN and the Sports Emmy Awards.
Opposition to Paramount’s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery is intensifying, with House Democrats, state attorneys general, and Hollywood figures urging a rigorous review of foreign ownership and its potential impact on competition and local journalism. Regulators, including FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, are being pressed to scrutinize the deal, which would place about 49.5% of the combined company under foreign investors. Proponents argue the tie-up could boost output with a slate of around 30 films per year, while critics question whether it would meaningfully harm competition given the reported market shares. With a September close still the target, many opponents are focusing on concessions like labor protections or production guarantees rather than outright blocking.
George Clooney accepted the Chaplin Award at Lincoln Center’s Chaplin Award Gala, using his remarks to condemn violence and urge unity across the political spectrum, while joking about the Paramount-WBD merger and sharing career memories with tributes from colleagues and friends.
Paramount’s FCC filing reveals that the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery will have 38.5% of its equity owned by foreign investors, allocated to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (15.1%), UAE’s SWF (12.8%), and Qatar Investment Authority (10.6%), with no board seats or voting rights for these investors. The company is seeking a declaratory ruling to permit indirect foreign ownership above 25% and to allow future increases up to 20% for certain non-controlling investors. The Ellison family and RedBird Capital will retain the largest stake and 100% voting power, while European regulatory approvals and potential state challenges remain in play.
Paramount has filed with the FCC to approve a 49.5% foreign-ownership stake in the planned Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, with about 24% held by three Middle East funds. The company says non-U.S. investors are passive and the arrangement will boost capital to compete in television and video programming. The $110 billion deal is expected to close by September, though some state attorneys general are reviewing antitrust options; Netflix’s earlier bid for Paramount’s studios division was eclipsed by Paramount’s full-merger offer.
At a Senate hearing, Mark Ruffalo warned that Paramount Skydance’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery could threaten tens of thousands of industry jobs and press independence, urging regulators to prioritize competition over promises of more films amid heavy debt and a wave of layoffs.
More than 1,400 actors, directors and filmmakers signed an open letter opposing the $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger, warning it would reduce competition, limit opportunities for creators, and cost jobs; Paramount Skydance argues the deal would boost output and maintain competitive, independent avenues as regulators weigh approval.
Damon Lindelof joined a blue-collar-themed open letter opposing Paramount’s proposed $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, warning the deal could threaten thousands of film/TV crew jobs and shrink production. He describes Hollywood as a blue‑collar town and notes other high-profile signatories like Noah Wyle, Emma Thompson, Don Cheadle, and Jane Fonda, illustrating labor- and antitrust-focused concerns amid ongoing scrutiny.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he is coordinating with other blue-state AGs to scrutinize Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery’s roughly $110 billion merger over competition concerns, signaling rising state-level antitrust pressure as the deal moves toward closing. New York, Washington, Virginia and Pennsylvania are among the jurisdictions in play, with critics arguing the consolidation could reduce production options and raise costs. The arrangement carries large potential penalties if regulatory conditions aren’t met, and it remains under federal antitrust review as regulators weigh the deal.
Paramount’s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery is still under heavy regulatory scrutiny from U.S. and European authorities, with state attorneys general and lawmakers weighing antitrust concerns and market concentration in streaming and media, leaving a clear path to closing uncertain despite the deal’s competitive bid.