Paramount

A bipartisan group argue in lawsuit that $110bn merger would hurt competition and lead to thousands of job lossesA bipartisan group of US state attorneys general are seeking to block the $110bn merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery, arguing in a lawsuit filed on Monday that it would hurt competition and lead to higher prices for consumers.The coalition behind the lawsuit is led by the California attorney general, Rob Bonta, who has been a staunch critic of the merger since it was agreed to in February after a bidding war between David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance and Netflix. Continue reading...

• Major media companies, including Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, and CNN, are conducting widespread layoffs as the industry adjusts to the aftermath of COVID-19 and two major strikes. • Film Independent, the organization behind the Spirit Awards, has cut six positions from its 40-person staff since December due to the loss of federal grant funding. • These cuts reflect a broader industry instability driven by the rise of streaming services and the integration of artificial intelligence in production.

• Paramount+ has announced its content lineup for July 2026, featuring a variety of new movies and television series. • Key highlights for the month include the premiere of 'Strange New Worlds' season 4 and the season 1 finale of 'Dutton Ranch'. • These releases aim to drive subscriber engagement by delivering highly anticipated sequels and climactic season endings.

• UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy is considering a formal intervention regarding the proposed $110 billion merger between Warner Bros and Paramount. • The minister has established a deadline of 6 July for both companies to address her specific concerns regarding the deal. • This potential intervention signifies the UK government's intent to evaluate whether the merger serves the public interest or creates market imbalances.

Lisa Nandy to ask regulators to assess mega-merger involving Channel 5, CNN and TNT Sports on grounds of media plurality and competitionThe UK culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, intends to ask the British media and competition watchdogs to examine Paramount’s $110bn (£85bn) acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.The WBD takeover deal will create a media powerhouse controlling assets including: the Hollywood studios behind franchises including Superman, Batman and Top Gun; the UK’s Channel 5; news channel CNN; TNT Sports, which broadcasts Champions League, Premier League and the Olympics; and the Paramount+ and HBO Max streaming services. Continue reading...

Deal still under UK scrutiny with new investigation, and could face lawsuit from state attorneys generalDonald Trump’s Department of Justice has decided to approve the $111bn merger of Paramount Skydance, controlled by the Ellison family, and Warner Bros Discovery, the parent company of networks like CNN and HBO.The deal was approved by the justice department’s anti-trust division after months of review, and despite the concerns of many people in the entertainment and media industries who believe it will hurt competition by reducing the number of film studios and – most likely – merging two news networks, Paramount’s CBS News and CNN. Continue reading...

Deal to create a streaming and sports powerhouse will be scrutinised by Competition and Markets AuthorityThe UK competition watchdog has opened an investigation into Paramount Skydance’s $110bn (£82bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).The deal will create a media powerhouse controlling assets including the Paramount and HBO Max streaming services, Channel 5 and TNT Sports, which broadcasts Champions League, Premier League and the Olympics, the Hollywood studios behind franchises including Superman, Batman and Top Gun, as well as HBO, home to shows including Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and Succession. Continue reading...

Dozens of former news staffers press David Ellison to commit to fair coverage in wake of major firings on the showSeveral dozen veterans of CBS News – including many former 60 Minutes employees – signed a letter to the Paramount Skydance CEO, David Ellison, on Monday, pressing him to commit to the show’s editorial independence four days after network management fired several top staffers and correspondents.On Thursday, the CBS News editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, and president, Tom Cibrowski, ousted the show’s executive producer, executive editor and two prominent correspondents, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Both Alfonsi and Vega released blistering statements alleging that the show’s editorial independence had been compromised for political purposes. Continue reading...

The online publication Puck previously reported Weiss could be moved to a new role with less oversight of the networkSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailCBS News parent company Paramount is standing by CBS News’ editor in chief, Bari Weiss, amid a torrent of controversies and lagging ratings on some programs.The network released a statement supporting her after a report that senior leadership at the company has discussed changing Weiss’s role to lessen her oversight of CBS News – and, potentially, CNN, if the company’s acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery receives government approval. Continue reading...

The merger will still require governmental approval and could be delayed by a lawsuit seeking to block itShareholders of Warner Bros Discovery voted “overwhelmingly” to approve the company’s $110bn merger with Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News, on Thursday.But shareholders voted against generous proposed compensation packages for WBD executives, including a $550m payout to the outgoing chief executive, David Zaslav. Continue reading...

Merger will ‘prioritise the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good’, letter statesJoaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Yorgos Lanthimos and Kristen Stewart are among more than 1,000 film and TV industry professionals who have signed an open letter protesting against Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, the parent group that owns HBO, HBO Max, CNN, TBS and Food Network, as well as the Warner Bros TV and film studios.“We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritise the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,” states the letter, which was published on Monday on BlocktheMerger.com. Continue reading...

One of the best-paid executives in Hollywood has already made $113m after selling shares in WBD this monthBusiness live – latest updatesDavid Zaslav, the chief executive of Warner Bros Discovery, is in line for a $700m (£525m) payday from the $110bn sale of the Hollywood studio to Paramount Skydance.Zaslav could receive $34.2m in cash severance payments, $115.8m in vested stock and $517.2m in unvested share awards once the deal is complete, according to a filing from Warner Bros Discovery on Monday. Continue reading...

Paramount and Skydance are advancing $110 billion merger discussions to acquire Warner Bros., intensifying uncertainty as the studio's 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another' eye Oscars glory on March 15, 2026. The deal could consolidate Hollywood power but risks job cuts amid ongoing layoffs. Stakeholders await regulatory approval, which may influence awards campaigning. If finalized, it promises a transformed landscape for 2026-2027 releases.