Paramount Settles With States Over WBD Merger
The way is paved for Paramount to merge with WBD.
According to Bloomberg, Paramount has reached a settlement with California and other states suing to block its $110 billion merger with WBD.
The settlement is expected to be announced later today.
States reportedly secured independent editorial boards for CBS and CNN as part of the settlement with Paramount.
According to Wall Street Journal, Paramount and California’s attorney general had discussed a range of concessions, including a $1.5 billion investment in production in the state, a commitment not to sell either studio lot, and potential penalties if Paramount fails to honor a pledge to produce 30 movies a year after the merger.
In July, Paramount agreed to hold off the merger until after the antitrust trial. The trial was scheduled for March 2027. The deal is valued at roughly $110 billion.
All Elite Wrestling has a media rights deal with WBD through the end of 2027, with an option for 2028. Once the deal goes through, it is expected that Paramount streaming service Paramount+ and WBD service HBO Max will combine into one streaming platform.
AEW television and pay-per-views stream on HBO Max, though it’s too early to know where AEW will land once the deal officially goes through and things are settled.
