Paramount, State AGs Set Agenda for Oct. 14 Antitrust Talks on $111 Billion WBD Deal
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Sep 19
Paramount, State AGs Set Agenda for Oct. 14 Antitrust Talks on $111 Billion WBD Deal
3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Sep 19
Summary
Mid-level Paramount and state attorneys general staff are discussing the agenda for a court-ordered Oct. 14-15 settlement conference, not hammering out an advanced antitrust deal, according to sources.
The talks center on possible remedies for the $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery merger, including keeping Paramount and Warner Bros. studios separate for a time and shedding some of the combined 50-plus cable networks.
California AG Rob Bonta has already said a behavioral fix such as promising at least 30 film releases a year would not satisfy the 12-state plaintiff group.
Shares still jumped after reports of "advanced talks"—Paramount rose 5% and WBD 6% after hours—even as the companies declined to detail any negotiations.
Pressure is building ahead of an Oct. 1 $7 million-a-day ticking fee, a Sept. 25 Supreme Court-related filing, and a March 2, 2027 trial in a case where recent rulings have favored the states.