{"id":2680523,"date":"2026-10-10T08:29:30","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T12:29:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-ags-hollywood-stars-werent-powerful-enough-to-stop-paramount-takeover\/"},"modified":"2026-10-10T08:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T12:34:53","slug":"dem-ags-hollywood-stars-werent-powerful-enough-to-stop-paramount-takeover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-ags-hollywood-stars-werent-powerful-enough-to-stop-paramount-takeover\/","title":{"rendered":"Dem AGs, Hollywood Stars Weren&#8217;t Powerful Enough to Stop Paramount Takeover"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdem-ags-hollywood-stars-werent-powerful-enough-to-stop-paramount-takeover%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2680523&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The provided content explains that Paramount has finalized its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal valued at nearly $111 billion, leading to the creation of a new company called Skydance. This merger consolidates major Hollywood studios adn media outlets, including Warner Bros., HBO, CNN, CBS, Paramount Pictures, HBO Max, and Paramount+, along with popular franchises like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Top Gun, and Mission: Impossible.<\/p>\n<p>The merger faced legal challenges, with some Democratic state attorneys general suing to block it, citing concerns over reduced competition, especially in film distribution and cable TV. However, the Department of Justice approved the deal, believing it unlikely to harm consumers. Ultimately, a settlement was reached, with Paramount committing to additional U.S. film production spending and editorial safeguards for networks like CNN and CBS.<\/p>\n<p>Prominent industry figures and actors opposed the merger, and there were discussions about relocating operations from California to avoid increased costs. The deal also grants control of CNN to Ellison,who intends to maintain editorial independence despite criticisms. Foreign investors from Saudi Arabia,Qatar,and the UAE contributed funding,with regulatory approval from the FCC.<\/p>\n<p>the merger marks a significant consolidation in the entertainment industry, driven by strategic investments, legal negotiations, and corporate restructuring.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Paramount completed its $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday, combining some of Hollywood\u2019s most recognizable studios, television networks and streaming services under a new company called Skydance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The blockbuster deal puts Warner Bros., HBO, CNN, CBS, Paramount Pictures, HBO Max and Paramount+ under the same corporate roof, along with franchises ranging from \u201cHarry Potter\u201d and \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d to \u201cTop Gun\u201d and \u201cMission: Impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Including debt, the transaction amounted to nearly $111 billion. The deal closed after 12 Democratic state attorneys general sued to block the merger in July and temporarily won a court order halting it, only to <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/09\/21\/dem-ags-settle-paramount-warner-bros-merger-fight\/\">settle<\/a> with Paramount in September under an agreement requiring additional domestic film production, worker assistance and editorial safeguards for CNN and CBS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Hollywood actors and filmmakers also fought the merger, with thousands of industry professionals signing an April letter opposing the deal, and actors including Jane Fonda and Mark Ruffalo publicly urging regulators to stop it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Department of Justice <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/07\/13\/12-states-file-lawsuit-block-warner-bros-paramount-merger\/\">cleared<\/a> the transaction in June after concluding it was unlikely to harm competition or American consumers. The Democratic attorneys general sued roughly a month later, alleging the combined company would weaken competition in theatrical film distribution and cable television.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">A federal judge temporarily <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/07\/20\/judge-blocks-paramount-warner-bros-discovery-merger\/\">blocked<\/a> the deal in July before Paramount and the states reached their September settlement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Paramount agreed to spend an additional $1.5 billion on U.S. film production over five years, release at least 30 films in theaters annually and establish new editorial oversight mechanisms for CNN and CBS.<b> <\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Skydance founder David Ellison will lead the combined company alongside co-CEO Ynon Kreiz, further consolidating some of the country\u2019s biggest entertainment and news properties under one corporate owner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cToday is a historic day, not just for Skydance but for our entire industry,\u201d Ellison said in a statement Tuesday. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t be more excited to get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Ellison\u2019s Skydance combined with Paramount in August 2025 through a transaction in which the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners committed more than $8 billion to acquire Paramount\u2019s controlling holder and invest in the new company.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Ellison then quickly turned his attention to Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Paramount ultimately agreed to pay Warner Bros. holders $31 per  following a monthslong bidding war with Netflix. Warner Bros. had initially backed a competing Netflix deal covering its studios and streaming operations before Paramount launched a hostile bid for the entire company.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Netflix eventually dropped out of the race, allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. to reach a merger agreement in February.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Democratic opposition to the transaction was not unanimous.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">A source close to Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill previously <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/09\/14\/nj-governors-team-wasnt-warned-before-ag-joined-paramount-warner-lawsuit-source\/\">told<\/a> the Daily Caller News Foundation that the governor\u2019s team received no warning before Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cWe didn\u2019t have a heads up,\u201d the source told the DCNF, calling New Jersey\u2019s participation \u201ca baffling move\u201d as the state sought jobs and investment from Paramount and Warner Bros.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cDid we really need to get involved when we\u2019re negotiating such great things for our taxpayers with Paramount and Warner Brothers?\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The legal battle also threatened to deepen California\u2019s already struggling entertainment-industry exodus. Ellison told senior Paramount executives in August that he was prepared to begin moving the company out of California if Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta refused to enter settlement negotiations, according to reports at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Ellison\u2019s goal was reportedly to keep the combined company and roughly 30,000 jobs based in Southern California, but he warned executives that Paramount could begin leaving the state once multimillion-dollar daily fees tied to delays in closing the Warner Bros. deal kicked in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Paramount was later <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/09\/17\/paramount-reportedly-planning-move-to-music-city\/\">reported<\/a> to be shopping for roughly 400,000 square feet of office space in Nashville as it weighed shifting operations away from California.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Such a move threatened another blow to California\u2019s film industry, which has already struggled with declining local production and entertainment jobs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The takeover also hands Ellison control of CNN, a network President Donald Trump, who has had warm relations with Ellison and his father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, has repeatedly criticized over its coverage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Trump said in December that it was \u201cimperative that CNN be sold,\u201d while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in March that \u201cthe sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Ellison said CNN would maintain editorial independence, while Mark Thompson will remain the network\u2019s editor-in-chief. The settlement with the Democratic attorneys general also requires the company to establish a News Editorial Independence Board covering CNN and CBS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Paramount relied on billions of dollars from investors tied to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to help<a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/film\/global\/middle-east-paramount-warner-bros-discovery-1236675832\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> finance<\/a> the Warner Bros. acquisition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L\u2019imad Holding were among the outside financing partners disclosed by Paramount.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Federal Communications Commission approved the foreign investors\u2019 indirect ownership interests ahead of the merger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Gulf investors agreed to forgo voting and governance rights associated with their investments.<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimer\">\n<p>All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. 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For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact <a href=\"http:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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Discovery creates Skydance, uniting major studios and networks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2680524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Michael-Featured-Image-1432.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[9550,87017,4361,54802],"class_list":["post-2680523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ags","tag-corporate-takeover","tag-hollywood","tag-paramount-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Michael-Featured-Image-1432.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2680523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2680523"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2680523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2680527,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2680523\/revisions\/2680527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2680524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2680523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2680523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2680523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}