Paramount Skydance buying Warner Bros Discovery for US$110 billion

[CanadianChick]

Paramount Skydance buying Warner Bros Discovery for US$110 billion


"Warner Bros Discovery has agreed to be acquired by Paramount Skydance in a US$110 billion deal, ending a high-stakes bidding war after Netflix walked away from its agreement with the HBO Max owner.

The deal, with an equity value of $81 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, the companies said on Friday. Reuters first reported on Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount signing a deal earlier in the day, citing an audio clip of a global townhall held by the company.

The merger would create a media powerhouse, combining major studios and networks such as CNN and CBS to compete more aggressively, as streaming has upended the industry by drawing audiences away from traditional linear TV."




https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/ar ... t-of-race/

[urbanlegend]

Less competition is not good news

[DeSexGuide]

How many media companies are left I heard 6 a few weeks ago is that really it?

[mybitches]

have you seen this


"Jul. 13, 2026, 1:52 PM EDT
By
Sydney Carruth

A dozen state attorneys general sued Monday to block Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, citing the harm the megamerger could pose to competition in Hollywood.

The deal would consolidate two powerhouse movie studios, several popular streaming services and the national news networks CBS and CNN into a single company under the purview of the billionaire Trump-aligned Ellison family.

That consolidation, greenlit by the Justice Department’s antitrust division last month, would negatively reshape the production landscape in Hollywood by depriving studios of the blockbuster series they rely on to generate revenue, the state law enforcement officials maintain."

https://www.ms.now/news/pwcalifornia-le ... megamerger

[jag]

Lawyers will get their share of the transaction, they always do.

[born2bewild]

Things are put on ice for now.


"Paramount announced Friday afternoon that its takeover of CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, will be delayed for many months, and potentially well into 2027, due to pending lawsuits by state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America.

Paramount said in a court filing that it has agreed not to complete the mega-merger until an antitrust trial takes place, or until June 2027, whichever comes first.

The announcement, blowing up Paramount’s original plan to take control of Warner by the end of September, was the result of discussions between the lawyers for all the parties involved.

Shares in both Paramount and WBD slumped on the news.

In a statement, a Paramount spokesperson said, “Today’s agreement is a significant win because the result is exactly what we have sought from the outset: a direct path to a trial based on the evidence. This is the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers, and good for creators, a conclusion dozens of competition authorities around the world have already reached. Plaintiffs’ market definitions bear no relationship to the realities of today’s marketplace and cannot withstand scrutiny. We look forward to proving our case at trial.”

The agreement cancels an August 3 hearing on the states’ request for a preliminary injunction and withdraws the Writers Guild’s similar motion.

Instead, the parties will move directly toward a trial on the underlying antitrust claims, with a proposed schedule due next Friday. "

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/24/media/pa ... rger-delay