12 State AGs Sue to Block Paramount-WBD Merger, Winning Temporary Restraining Order
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 5
12 State AGs Sue to Block Paramount-WBD Merger, Winning Temporary Restraining Order
3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 5
Summary
Twelve state attorneys general filed a federal antitrust suit to stop Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery and already won a temporary restraining order blocking the deal.
The complaint targets three markets—wide-release films, top-grossing theatrical films and cable affiliate fees—rather than any merger of CBS News and CNN.
California AG Rob Bonta and New York AG Letitia James have publicly tied their concerns to news diversity and changes at CBS, arguments the article says point to media-content motives beyond standard antitrust claims.
CNN’s 711,000 average primetime viewers and the CBS Evening News’ 3.9 million are cited to argue the combined audience is just 4.6 million, or 1.7% of U.S. adults, in a fragmented news market.
The broader fight is whether antitrust law can be used to shape ownership of major news outlets, with reports some plaintiffs want any settlement to require CNN’s divestiture.