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Block the Merger Coalition File Request to Oppose Paramount-WBD Deal
Variety • • general
Key Points:
- A coalition of groups under the Block the Merger banner filed an emergency motion for an amicus brief to oppose Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of a California court hearing.
- The motion, filed in federal court, urges Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín to allow interested parties to formally challenge the consent decree agreed upon by 12 state attorneys general and Paramount.
- The settlement requires Paramount to release at least 30 movies annually, establish an independent editorial board for CNN and CBS News, and maintain studio lots in California for five years; California AG Rob Bonta described the terms as “very strong.”
- The coalition, including groups like Free Press and the Committee for the First Amendment, argues the consent decree is weak and unenforceable, calling for a full court hearing to protect consumers, workers, and free speech.
- A hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. where the judge may address outstanding questions about the merger and potentially rule on the coalition’s motion.
