WBD Acquisition Thread

[PF9]

One way the merger can be undone is if the WGA and SGA go on strike right away, only stopping the strike once Paramount backs out.

This coming just three years after the 2023 strikes which in turn followed disruptions caused by COVID-19 would bring Hollywood to a standstill once again. And I don't think Paramount wants that.

 

[Francisque]

Sorry for double-post, but, looks like Paramount officially won the bidding war, and Netflix is giving up:

Netflix Declines to Raise Offer for Warner Bros. - About Netflix

about.netflix.com

This is absolutely ridiculous...

 

[JulianRO]

One way the merger can be undone is if the WGA and SGA go on strike right away, only stopping the strike once Paramount backs out.

For Paramount I didn't see much criticism, but for Netflix, well, there was quite a lot.

Also, who would be the buyer in your case? Netflix doesn't care anymore, Comcast barely resisted a bid....

 

[Two Two's]

This is absolutely ridiculous...

100%, we will definitely feel it's effects very swiftly

 

[JulianRO]

And WBD shareholders will still probably vote on March 20th to block the deal leaving them no choice but to continue the split

If WBD already considers Paramount's counterbid to be more superior then why would they vote against?

 

[awinger24]

The board, but probably not the shareholders.

 

[PF9]

For Paramount I didn't see much criticism, but for Netflix, well, there was quite a lot.

Also, who would be the buyer in your case? Netflix doesn't care anymore, Comcast barely resisted a bid....

Either Amazon buys the whole of WBD or the split goes on as initially planned.

After all, Hollywood is still recovering from Disney-Fox, and may never fully recover from it (especially when that merger ultimately cost us Blue Sky Studios).

 

[Action!]

Someone please wake me from this nightmare.

 

[JulianRO]

Either Amazon buys the whole of WBD or the split goes on as initially planned.

They didn't show any interest when the bidding war first started months ago, so most likely the latter would happen.

The board, but probably not the shareholders.

Paramount will ink the offer with WBD, and pay the breakup fee until then, so there won't be any other options for buyout unless maybe all of a sudden somebody comes with a counterbid even bigger than them. To put it straightforward, it's either continue splitting as it was originally planned, or stick with Paramount.

 

[PF9]

Also, if the merger isn't derailed somehow, some things I'd like to see in the merger of CBS Sports and TNT Sports:

The NCAA start requiring the Turner networks to offer simulcasts of their March Madness games to OTA stations in markets with a rooting interest in the participating teams (which would be a side effect of the decline of cable)

MLB on TBS starting to use the 1990s MLB on CBS theme

Stanley Cup Finals on CBS in even years

 

[JulianRO]

Looks like those times will come back...

 

[TVArchive]

A historical moment

 

[harry580]

rant in coming in with huge caps in:

5

4

3

2

1


ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME PARAMOUNT?, YOU GONNA RUIN HISTORY OF HOLLYWODO WITH YOUR BUYOUT!, WE ALREADY LOST FOX TO DISNEY AND THAT LEAD TO DISNEY REBOOTING HOME ALONE AND FOLDING BLUE SKY STUDIOS AND RUINNING MY HOPES AND DREAMS OF BLUE SKY STUDIOS BEING A COMPETITOR AGAIN AND RIO 3 GETTING MADE, MURDOCHS ARE THE MONSTERS WHO PUT HOLLYWOOD IN THIS MESS, EILSON IS A MONSTER, EILSON IS A FRAUD, EILSON IS A LOSER, EILSON MUST LEAVE HOLLYWOOD FOREVER, WARNER BROS DISCOVER SHOULD GO WITH THE SPLIT THAT WAS PLANNED, WARNER BROS DESERVES BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!


and that's my rant, feel free to edit this

 

[Francisque]

Hopefully someone will do something, as such a concentration of media is rather dangerous, especially in some countries where WBD and Paramount operate a lot of channels.
Even the EU should see it as a warning, as WBD operates a lot of channels in Europe

@themidnightlore now, I wish Sky really wants to buy the WBD FTA channels... I'm afraid of the horrors due to the Ellison's, honestly

A historical moment

Historical ≠ good thing

 

[JulianRO]

The Ellisons have a very good "connection" with Trump, Netflix gives up from buying WBD, so unless the shareholders want the split to continue, then pretty much nothing can be done anymore.

Paramount isn't as large as Netflix is, so regulatory approvals should be, in theory, way easier to be accepted.

 

[themidnightlore]

Hopefully someone will do something, as such a concentration of media is rather dangerous, especially in some countries where WBD and Paramount operate a lot of channels.
Even the EU should see it as a warning, as WBD operates a lot of channels in Europe

@themidnightlore now, I wish Sky really wants to buy the WBD FTA channels... I'm afraid of the horrors due to the Ellison's, honestly

Yeah, we need an hero both in UK and Italy, regarding those FTA channels.
I'm just very unsure on if they can buy wholesale all those channels in Italy, because of the LCN limit (and Sky already has TV8 and Cielo).
And I'm at the point that I pray for De Agostini, that funnily enough did leave the DTT years ago. DeA Kids and DeA Junior, save me...

 

[Moe]

Dude, just gave up

awinger24 is free to express his frustration because two studios merger didn't end up well.

I don't blame on him for saying.

Paramount will do something good for WB and Looney Tunes/DC Comics.

Good luck, it isn't going to be smooth transition with over $100 billions in debt for just two studios. When debt grows fast, Ellison would be forced to implement the major cuts to Paramount and WBD and break the M&A promises.

It means Looney Tunes wouldn't be priority for Ellison with those financial situation, also Disney reduced the output for future Marvel films and Ellison is likely going to reduce further.

Ellison will have new reality is clash between Paramount and WBD, so it can get very ugly fast and WBD is much more bigger than Paramount. The clash was major reason for CBS-Viacom split in 2006.

Public reaction isn't well for Ellison.

It's not the end of the story. "Easier regulatory clearance" is basically a lie and shareholders still have to vote.

Yeah, WBD shareholders would have to vote.

Don't forget about regulators in other countries, so it can drag it further.

After all, Hollywood is still recovering from Disney-Fox, and may never fully recover from it (especially when that merger ultimately cost us Blue Sky Studios).

The pandemic and decline of linear networks hurt Hollywood a lot.

The closure of Blue Sky Studios was planned after acquisition but pandemic made to closed it sooner instead of few years later with Nimona as final film.

Hopefully someone will do something, as such a concentration of media is rather dangerous, especially in some countries where WBD and Paramount operate a lot of channels.
Even the EU should see it as a warning, as WBD operates a lot of channels in Europe

@themidnightlore now, I wish Sky really wants to buy the WBD FTA channels... I'm afraid of the horrors due to the Ellison's, honestly


Historical ≠ good thing

My hope for EU regulator to put difficult on Ellison.

 

[themidnightlore]

My hope for EU regulator to put difficult on Ellison.

I hope they pull the same thing they pulled for Sky and Hearst A+E Networks when Disney had to buy Fox.

 

[harry580]

awinger24 is free to express his frustration because two studios merger didn't end up well.

I don't blame on him for saying.

I agreed with you, awinger24 tried to warn us but we called him a comedian

Good luck, it isn't going to be smooth transition with over $100 billions in debt for just two studios. When debt grows fast, Ellison would be forced to implement the major cuts to Paramount and WBD and break the M&A promises.

It means Looney Tunes wouldn't be priority for Ellison with those financial situation, also Disney reduced the output for future Marvel films and Ellison is likely going to reduce further.

Ellison will have new reality is clash between Paramount and WBD, so it can get very ugly fast and WBD is much more bigger than Paramount. The clash was major reason for CBS-Viacom split in 2006.

Public reaction isn't well for Ellison.

and I hope Ellison will face a downfall that lead to Warner bros & paramount splitting

Yeah, WBD shareholders would have to vote.

Don't forget about regulators in other countries, so it can drag it further.

I hope the shareholders turned down this and regulators too

The pandemic and decline of linear networks hurt Hollywood a lot.

I agreed, I think 2011 is the peak of those

The closure of Blue Sky Studios was planned after acquisition but pandemic made to closed it sooner instead of few years later with Nimona as final film.

then what were the plans for blue sky studios after nimona release and blue sky studios folding, use blue sky studios name as a brand for films & future ip uses like hanna barbera name?

 

[JulianRO]

My hope for EU regulator to put difficult on Ellison.

Quite unlikely to be rejected. Probably it would have happened on the Netflix side as it holds a streaming monopoly here, but Paramount barely has a presence through SkyShowtime.

Yeah, WBD shareholders would have to vote.

Indeed, but Netflix option officially drops, so the only way it won't end up in Ellison's hands would be to continue splitting.