Paramount Denies Leaking 2 Settlement Talks as California AG Halts Warner Deal Meeting
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Aug 24
Paramount Denies Leaking 2 Settlement Talks as California AG Halts Warner Deal Meeting
3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Aug 24
Summary
Paramount said it was not the source of leaks about confidential talks with California Attorney General Rob Bonta after he canceled a Monday meeting over the company’s planned Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.
Bonta accused Paramount of exposing and misrepresenting details from an Aug. 21 discussion, saying the company was “playing games” and would be welcomed back only when it engaged sincerely.
The dispute centers on remedies to settle an antitrust suit brought by 12 attorneys general, with Bonta pushing structural fixes such as keeping the studios separate and selling some cable networks.
That case is set for trial in early March and targets 3 markets—cable programming, blockbuster movies and wide-release films—while Paramount is seeking a deal sooner to clear its merger plans.