Tag Archives: antitrust

Trump’s DOJ Approves Paramount’s Merger with Warner Bros. While States Stepping Up to Actually Scrutinize it Looms

Warner Bros. logo

As expected, Trump’s Department of Justice has approved Paramount Skydance‘s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The green light was given this Friday and a key step in the acquisition process. Authorities in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, New Zealand Commerce Commission, and authorities in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Serbia and North Macedonia, Germany, Slovenia, Belgium, Czechia, New Zealand, Italy, France and Romania have all approved the deal in some way.

In the DOJ’s statement, they said:

The transaction is not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers, including with respect to: (1) streaming video on demand (“SVOD”); (2) linear television; and (3) studio development, production, or distribution of films for theatrical release.

Anyone with two working brain cells and not and administration sycophant know that’s absolutely not going to be the case. The approval is a payoff in the investment the Ellisons, Trump allies, have made in the current President. You need to make your money back somehow and between this and Ellison’s investment in TikTok, their investment is potentially paying off while further burning the United States to the ground.

The $111 billion proposed deal is being pushed through because if it extends past September 1, stockholders will see more paid out to them, thus vastly increasing the cost.

The deal for Warner Bros. Discovery would giver Paramount Skydance control of such assets as CNN, HBO, Warner Bros., HBO Max, and have a major impact on the comic industry as DC ComicsWonder Comics, and Milestone Media, are all owned by Warner Bros. Discovery or have deals with it.

It will be a disaster for consumers on multiple fronts.

After the Ellison takeover of CBS, they appointed Bari Weiss to head up the news division. Weiss has destroyed the credibility of 60 Minutes and decreased the viewership for multiple shows on the broadcast network.

Paramount Skydance also recently merged its video game studios which will eventually lead to layoffs and it’s likely WB Games and all of the video game studios from Warner Bros. Discovery will be folded into the new venture.

The deal is not done yet:

  • Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery may face a lawsuit by a coalition of state attorneys general who have stated they believe the Trump administration is failing to enforce antitrust laws.
  • The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, said it was initiating an investigation into the proposed deal.
  • The European Commission is investigating the deal under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation. $24 billion of the deal is coming from the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. The merged Paramount-WBD would be 49.5% owned by foreign investors with 38.5% of the equity owned by a trio of Gulf States. That has a deadline if July 14. The irony is TikTok not allowed to be owned by a foreign government but 49.5% of Paramount-WBD can be.

While we don’t expect the deal to impact DC Comics, Milestone Media, or Wonder Comics immediately, we do expect the intellectual property to be quickly used in an attempt to increase revenue for the mega company.

Around the Tubes

Mech Cadets #1

It’s a new week! And we’re busy on our end bringing you the latest news. While you begin the week, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web to kick it off.

The Beat – A Year of Free Comics: Read Chapter 1 of Fred Tornager’s GUNHILD – Free comics!

CBR – Federal Judge Confirms That AI Art Cannot Be Copyrighted – Good.

ICv2 – American Booksellers Association and Others Support Amazon Antitrust Actions – Hope so.

Reviews

CBR – Dark X-Men #1
The Beat – Lonesome Days, Savage Nights Vol. 2
CBR – Mech Cadets #1
CBR – Spider-Man Annual 2023
CBR – Superman 2023 Annual

Democrats on the Senate and House Antitrust Subcommittees Call for Hearings on the Disney/Fox Deal

On Thursday, Disney announced they’d be acquiring a large portion of 21st Century Fox including its film and TV studio, some cable networks, and some sports networks. The deal is priced at $52.4 billion.

Some have called into question the merger for numerous reasons including its impact on consumers, creators, and the job loss due to the merger. That questioning now includes some elected officials and Democrats in the Senate and House antitrust subcommittees have called for hearings on the deal.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in statement said:

This week we have seen the announcement of another industry-changing merger, which would have major implications in television, film, and media. Yesterday, Disney announced that it is acquiring 21st Century Fox’s film and television studios, cable entertainment networks, and international television businesses. I’m concerned about the impact of this transaction on American consumers.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, I have asked Senator Lee, who has worked closely with me in this area in the past, and Chairman Grassley to schedule a hearing on the proposed merger so that there is appropriate oversight over the antitrust review process.

Klobuchar is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.

Klobuchar has also asked Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), who chairs the subcommittee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who chairs the Judiciary Comittee, to schedule a hearing on the proposed deal. Lee and Klobuchar in October called for a hearing regarding the AT&T and Time Warner merger.

The House Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) has called for a closer look at the deal and in a statement:

Another day, another mega-merger. Disney’s proposed purchase of 21st Century Fox threatens to put control of TV, movie, and news content into the hands of a single media giant.

If it’s approved, this merger could allow Disney to limit what consumers can watch and increase their cable bills. Disney will gain more than 300 channels, 22 regional sports networks, control over Hulu, and a significant portion of Roku.

America is in a Monopoly Moment. We need more competition than before, not less, to create an economy that has more choices and innovation, lower prices, and better jobs. The House Antitrust Subcommittee should look at this proposal very closely.

In the deal, the companies said the regulatory process would take up to 18 months and that review would likely be by the Justice Department. No Congressional approval is needed.