WBD Acquisition Thread

[FirePuppy]

Last few weeks before it approves or it fails.

Of course, and if it is approved, it'll be sayonara for My Little Pony and hello SpongeBob on DFC or whatever channel will replace DFC next year under Paramount Skydance or the new company's name's hands.

I'm saying "next year" because back in 2022, when the previous merger was done (Warner Bros. and Discovery, Inc.), it took at least a year from there for the WarnerMedia cartoons to enter the DFC lineup.

 

[JulianRO]

Last few weeks before it approves or it fails

I would say months, to be honest. Ellison can't be this fast.

 

[awinger24]

Even Larry Ellison’s own advisers think this merger is in violation of antitrust laws.

 

[Mandouga]

Even Larry Ellison’s own advisers think this merger is in violation of antitrust laws.

OTOH, most people know it is...

 

[lowell]

Even Larry Ellison’s own advisers think this merger is in violation of antitrust laws.

Plus, the Ellisons are setting up a combo of state-endorsed media through the admin and state-backed media through the Middle East wealth funds.

If no one even finds that alarming, I'd be concerned about their long-term views here.

OTOH, most people know it is...

If the regional war escalates and the AI bubble popping does drag down Oracle with OpenAI, leading to the financing of the pursuit entirely collapsing, no more work needs to be done.

But every moment David Ellison has money sources to tap, he's still entirely dangerous.

 

[JulianRO]

The PSKY-WBD acquisition was approved by the Ukrainian authorities:

https://amcu.gov.ua/news/informatsiia-pro-rishennia-amku-21052026

 

[J10]

The PSKY-WBD acquisition was approved by the Ukrainian authorities:

https://amcu.gov.ua/news/informatsiia-pro-rishennia-amku-21052026

Ukrainians were quick in approving it, and won't wait until September or early 2027. We're now waiting for South American authorities to investigate before final decision.

 

[RandomMe]

I think the EU hasn't had its say yet

 

[Checkerboard]

Paramount’s Warner Takeover To Breach Comcast SkyShowtime Venture

Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to create complications for its SkyShowtime partnership with Comcast.

deadline.com

It's very likely Paramount will take over Skyshowtime completely if the merge completes.

Good. Maybe. More content? Or just logo?

 

[RandomMe]

Good. Maybe. More content? Or just logo?

Probably just the logo. Don't know if it will be Paramount+ or HBO Max, it's too early to tell.

 

[Checkerboard]

The PSKY-WBD acquisition was approved by the Ukrainian authorities:

https://amcu.gov.ua/news/informatsiia-pro-rishennia-amku-21052026

They would approve anything tbh

 

[RandomMe]

They would approve anything tbh

Yeah, the only other foreign notice was the one regarding Mitsubishi Fuso's plant in Toyama being taken over by another company. Even these minor decisions require approval from a bunch of countries.

 

[zakawer2]

Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee approves historic Paramount–Warner Bros merger

Read more

newsukraine.rbc.ua

Here's a news article on the matter of the Ukrainian authorities officially approving the merger from a Ukrainian perspective.

If the Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee had refused approval, the consequences could theoretically have been drastic. According to [lawyer Anna] Zhakot, companies might have had to restructure their assets, or Paramount and Warner Bros could even have exited the Ukrainian market.

 

[JulianRO]

Not that the Ukrainian market is that special for WBD, though.

 

[themidnightlore]

Not that the Ukrainian market is that special for WBD, though.

We can talk of that in Poland, Italy or UK then. (Maybe Germany and the Nordics too.)

 

[JulianRO]

Indeed, since WBD has no channels in Ukraine nor with a Ukrainian audio/subtitle track.

 

[J10]

Indeed, since WBD has no channels in Ukraine nor with a Ukrainian audio/subtitle track.

I checked on the platforms' websites, and actually, there are platform that carries the channels, and mostly Telecom companies. Also, CN (and Cartoonito) is available on Vodafone Ukraine and LifeCell.

Онлайн-кінотеатр Київстар ТБ - дивитись онлайн фільми, канали, серіали в хорошій якості

Дивіться онлайн найкращі фільми, серіали та шоу ✨ Підключайте Київстар ТБ для всієї родини ✔️ Акція для нових користувачів⏩

tv.kyivstar.ua

https://www.lifecell.ua/uploads/filelibrary/public/by_month/2026/05/Premialniy.pdf

Also, Greece is treated worsely, and CN was dropped from Nova in 2013, but returned On Demand years later. Also, Albania has the CN shows available through On Demand services.

 

[zakawer2]

Not that the Ukrainian market is that special for WBD, though.

WBD does operate several of its linear channels there, but I don't think any of them are even in Ukrainian at all (except for maybe Eurosport, which launched Ukrainian-language commentary audio tracks in collaboration with Megogo). The HBO Max service is fully available in Ukraine and is localized into Ukrainian (with Ukrainian audio and/or subtitles available for much content that isn't Cartoon Network or Discovery, plus Ukrainian commentary for various sporting events).

Also, Paramount doesn't have a dedicated streaming service in Ukraine that it directly owns or co-owns at all, and already got rid of pretty much all of its linear channels in Ukraine. In fact, Paramount's current operations in Ukraine (outside of licensing its titles to third-party TV channels and streaming services, and releasing its movies and TV shows on home video) are largely limited to supplying its authorized UIP-type distributor with its movies for theatrical release.

Denmark, an EU market, is a different story altogether. Over here, both WBD and Paramount continue to own and operate linear channels, WBD owns and operates HBO Max, and Paramount owns and operates Pluto TV in addition to co-owning the SkyShowtime streaming service.

 

[RandomMe]

Indeed, since WBD has no channels in Ukraine nor with a Ukrainian audio/subtitle track.

They prefer licensing for local TV.

 

[J10]

They prefer licensing for local TV.

The channels are still broadcasting in Ukraine, as I checked on the platforms’ website.

I checked on the platforms' websites, and actually, there are platform that carries the channels, and mostly Telecom companies. Also, CN (and Cartoonito) is available on Vodafone Ukraine and LifeCell.

Онлайн-кінотеатр Київстар ТБ - дивитись онлайн фільми, канали, серіали в хорошій якості

Дивіться онлайн найкращі фільми, серіали та шоу ✨ Підключайте Київстар ТБ для всієї родини ✔️ Акція для нових користувачів⏩

tv.kyivstar.ua

https://www.lifecell.ua/uploads/filelibrary/public/by_month/2026/05/Premialniy.pdf