WBD Acquisition Thread

[zakawer2]

Disney buying Fox was pretty much like WarnerMedia buying Turner in 1996. Those libraries still actually thrive to these days.

It was called Time Warner back then, not WarnerMedia. The WarnerMedia name wasn't adopted until after AT&T acquired Time Warner in 2018.

And besides, Warner Bros. Discovery is known as Warner Bros. Discovery or WBD, not "WarnerDiscovery".

 

[awinger24]

Probably need to avoid news and clickbait that would make me overreact. Got to process things better.

 

[lowell]

It was called Time Warner back then, not WarnerMedia. The WarnerMedia name wasn't adopted until after AT&T acquired Time Warner in 2018.

And besides, Warner Bros. Discovery is known as Warner Bros. Discovery or WBD, not "WarnerDiscovery".

Most of Time Warner roughly stayed as is during the AT&T era as Turner & HBO got closer with WB so that's why I just associated it all as WarnerMedia to make things easier.

I could say WBD or the whole name but it's still a mouthful of a name so I call it WarnerDiscovery because the union was literally composed of WarnerMedia smushed with Discovery.

I'm actually not a stickler for this at all but kind of glad AT&T didn't rename TW as Warner Bros. Media (WBM) instead of WarnerMedia because the grammar inspector would probably be on all my posts forever, lol.

 

[JulianRO]

Ex-CA Attorney General: Paramount-Warner Bros. Should Be Reviewed — Not Automatically Resisted

The state is right to review the $111 billion megadeal transaction carefully. But careful review is not the same as presumptive opposition.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Review? Just reject it.

 

[FanzotheBanjo]

2 more news, regarding PSKY + WBD through the MediaMergers subreddit.
One, where Paramount seeks EU green-light for the acquisition and another revealing how the Ellisons had plans revolving around WBD, before their deal with Paramount Global was closed.

 

[JulianRO]

Can confirm that the European Commission published the merger case today:

Competition case search

Searches for published decisions can be carried out under policy area, case number, title and date.

competition-cases.ec.europa.eu

So, the authorities have exactly 35 days / 5 weeks to decide if they approve this disgusting merger, or not.

 

[idk_1141]

Can confirm that the European Commission published the merger case today:

Competition case search

Searches for published decisions can be carried out under policy area, case number, title and date.

competition-cases.ec.europa.eu

So, the authorities have exactly 35 days / 5 weeks to decide if they approve this disgusting merger, or not.

Its funny how everyone were thinking that the merger can't close mid July and Ellison was talking only to make some loud. I don't know how everyone didn't realized that Ellison have the enough power to close this merger around July or August someone have to punish him so bad so the merger can be stopped or delayed the petitions are not going to work.

 

[JulianRO]

The UK is still in phase 1 of the approval, apparently they are slower:

Paramount / Warner Bros. Discovery merger inquiry

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views on the anticipated acquisition by Paramount Skydance Corporation of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

www.gov.uk

I don't know how everyone didn't realized that Ellison have the enough power to close this merger around July or August someone have to punish him so bad so the merger can be stopped or delayed the petitions are not going to work.

Wait till the AI bubble continues bursting and Oracle goes down. After that, with the same power he is going to sell it again.

 

[harry580]

Wait till the AI bubble continues bursting and Oracle goes down. After that, with the same power he is going to sell it again.

when that gonna happened?, when the recession happened again and ellisons got liabled for their actions like elon musk gotten from twitter/x?

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Can confirm that the European Commission published the merger case today:

Competition case search

Searches for published decisions can be carried out under policy area, case number, title and date.

competition-cases.ec.europa.eu

So, the authorities have exactly 35 days / 5 weeks to decide if they approve this disgusting merger, or not.

Its funny how everyone were thinking that the merger can't close mid July and Ellison was talking only to make some loud. I don't know how everyone didn't realized that Ellison have the enough power to close this merger around July or August someone have to punish him so bad so the merger can be stopped or delayed the petitions are not going to work.

No, there’s a 2 phase process. July is when Phase 1 is expected to conclude, not when they make an approval decision.

 

[zakawer2]

So I guess it simply is impossible for the merger to get completed before September at the very soonest. I could see the merger not getting approved in June, July or August.

 

[Camping My TV Set]

So I guess it simply is impossible for the merger to get completed before September at the very soonest. I could see the merger not getting approved in June, July or August.

barring some unholy intervention, it's entirely possible the EU stalls this merger to the point ticking fees start becoming a factor

 

[Elijah Abrams]

barring some unholy intervention, it's entirely possible the EU stalls this merger to the point ticking fees start becoming a factor

What "unholy intervention" do you speaketh of?

 

[Camping My TV Set]

What "unholy intervention" do you speaketh of?

the omnipresent corruption that's been present since the start of this merger drama

 

[Daikun]

No, there’s a 2 phase process. July is when Phase 1 is expected to conclude, not when they make an approval decision.

If Phase I is approved, they can bypass Phase II.
All it has to do is get a "no" vote and the Phase II process will last at least 3 months, by which then approving it by September will be impossible.

 

[lowell]

If Phase I is approved, they can bypass Phase II.
All it has to do is get a "no" vote and the Phase II process will last at least 3 months, by which then approving it by September will be impossible.

It could also be extended upon 90 days as well or have the pursuit timeline be freezed:

"Under its Phase 1 investigation, the EC has 25 working days to decide whether to clear a merger, request remedies or move to a Phase 2 investigation.

If there are competition concerns, companies can offer remedies, which extends the Phase 1 deadline by 10 working days.

If the investigation moves to Phase 2, the EC will conduct more extensive information gathering, including companies’ internal documents, extensive economic data, more detailed questionnaires to market participants, and/or site visits.

A Phase 2 investigation could last up to 90 working days, with the possibility of further extensions of 15 or 20 days or even that timeline freezing until missing information is supplied, and would result in the merger being cleared with or without remedies or being blocked."

European Commission Aims to Wrap Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Review in July

The update comes after the David Ellison-led media giant formally notified the regulator about its $110 billion deal

www.thewrap.com

Because of the Middle East sovereign wealth funds' participation, the EU's Foreign Subsidies Regulation will also be applicable:

"The EU is also expected to vet the deal under its Foreign Subsidies Regulation, aimed at preventing firms bankrolled by sovereign states from distorting fair competition."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-02/paramount-seeks-eu-green-light-for-110-billion-warner-deal

Its funny how everyone were thinking that the merger can't close mid July and Ellison was talking only to make some loud. I don't know how everyone didn't realized that Ellison have the enough power to close this merger around July or August someone have to punish him so bad so the merger can be stopped or delayed the petitions are not going to work.

Admin wants favorable political coverage and the Ellisons are focus on delivering it for the midterm elections despite their hired legal weapon saying that's not the case & saying the Middle East investors won't have any indirect say on things:

"Your timeline is aggressive. Some suggest Paramount wants this deal done before the mid-term elections.

I don’t think it’s aggressive. It has nothing to do with the midterms. The midterms do not change the officials at the Justice Department or the FCC — we have that minor application there. The midterms have no effect on the European Commission or anybody else. We’ve been very transparent and proactive with members of Congress and with the state attorneys general and the federal authorities.

Do regulators share others’ concerns about the merger debt — $79 billion — for the combined company?

Some regulators appropriately have asked about it. They say: ‘This is what we have heard, that you guys are not going to be around because of this debt,’ which is just silliness. David and his family are owner-operators. They’re not rented CEOs. They have over 50% ownership. They put their money at stake and my money is on them."

Paramount's Delrahim slams 'fear-mongering' and partisan politics clouding Warner Bros. deal

President Trump once said he would be involved in the Warner Bros. sale but Paramount lawyer Makan Delrahim said the company has "no deals" with the president

www.latimes.com

Wait till the AI bubble continues bursting and Oracle goes down. After that, with the same power he is going to sell it again.

Yup, we should even take into account of the U.S. regional war not close to wrapping up as well so it can still escalate further at any moment, possibly impacting the Middle East funding.

If the AI stock bubble ends up having Oracle dragged down financially by OpenAI, Larry will absolutely prop it up over continuing to pour money into Skydance & Annapurna.

Just by how David's running it into rock bottom (especially with CBS News & 60 Minutes), Sony could even do a way better job at managing Paramount Global than him at this point.

 

[harry580]

Just by how David's running it into rock bottom (especially with CBS News & 60 Minutes), Sony could even do a way better job at managing Paramount Global than him at this point.

so, would a sony ownership of paramount could be like how sony used to own half of mgm until 2010 where they owned a stake in it and only to give it away to the next owner

 

[lowell]

so, would a sony ownership of paramount could be like how sony used to own half of mgm until 2010 where they owned a stake in it and only to give it away to the next owner

I mean, considering the level of management from David Ellison and his Skydance lieutenants has been pretty substandard overall, I would be pretty okay with Sony integrating Paramount Global entirely because they actually have more veteran (some previously worked during Bakish era or earlier) and experienced executives that knows how to run the various operations.

David has never run a large or major company before the Redstone sale so his incompetency is expected and the only thing he was able to wave in people's faces was his father Larry's wealth status, which doesn't really help his case on being cut out for the job.

 

[JulianRO]

David has never run a large or major company before the Redstone sale so his incompetency is expected and the only thing he was able to wave in people's faces was his father Larry's wealth status, which doesn't really help his case on being cut out for the job.

This.

I would be pretty okay with Sony integrating Paramount Global entirely because they actually have more veteran (some previously worked during Bakish era or earlier) and experienced executives that knows how to run the various operations.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting Paramount to buy WBD, years ago, I would have expected the opposite, considering their sizes.

 

[J10]

June 5 (Reuters) - California, New York and other U.S. states are preparing a lawsuit to block Paramount Skydance's (PSKY.O), opens new tab $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros (WBD.O), opens new tab, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The lawsuit is expected to be filed in the coming weeks, the sources said. It was not immediately clear which other states would join the lawsuit, which would mark the boldest move yet by the states in their effort to be at the forefront of U.S. antitrust enforcement.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-states-are-preparing-lawsuit-block-paramounts-acquisition-warner-bros-2026-06-05/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement

Guess that the lawsuits would take more than a year, until they accept the lawsuit, while Ellison wants the acquisition to be rush and hurried on July. Until then, let’s wait for EU and UK regulators and see what’ll happen in July, since investigation on the acquisition whether to reject or approve has began this month.