Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and the Writers Guild of America said they were against the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that it would consolidate control of major news and entertainment outlets under a single corporate entity.
"If Paramount Skydance merges with Warner Bros., one giant media conglomerate would control…" Warren wrote on social media earlier this month, before listing more than a dozen networks that would fall under the merged company's control.
"It's a terrible deal," she added.
If finalized, the agreement would transfer CNN from Warner Bros. Discovery to Paramount Skydance, a company led by CEO David Ellison and backed by his father, Larry Ellison.
"Merger after merger in the media industry has harmed workers, diminished competition and free speech, and wasted hundreds of billions of dollars better invested in organic growth," the Writers Guild said in a statement last month.
Sources say the Ellisons are seeking to acquire CNN not merely as a financial asset but to reshape the network's editorial direction. CNN currently earns an estimated $500 million annually and maintains a global audience.
Reports indicate the Ellison family's interest is part of a broader effort to challenge what they view as the left-leaning tilt of major media organizations. Bari Weiss, who has already begun steering editorial changes at CBS News, could expand her influence to CNN if the merger proceeds.
Complicating the deal further is the revelation that the Paramount Skydance bid includes funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, according to Variety.
Despite growing criticism, the Ellisons remain the leading contenders in a bidding field that includes Netflix, Amazon, and Comcast. Legal analysts say Paramount Skydance's offer is unlikely to trigger major antitrust hurdles.
The Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission are also not expected to pose significant challenges. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has suggested his agency may not take part in the review at all.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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