The Hollywood writer’s union is raising the alarm over the possible merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance, saying that such a merger would be a “disaster,” but President Donald Trump says he is all for the plan.
On Thursday, the Writers Guild of America put out a statement warning about the proposed merger, according to The Wrap.
“Merger after merger in the media industry has harmed workers, diminished competition and free speech, and wasted hundreds of billions of dollars better invested in organic growth. Combining Warner Bros. with Paramount or another major studio or streamer would be a disaster for writers, for consumers and for competition,” the union’s statement read. “The WGAW and WGAE will work with regulators to block the merger.”
Paramount Skydance has been pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) for quite a while and has made three offers to date, with one ringing in at $60 billion. And WBD has stated its intention to launch a “review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.”
The Writers Guild has been targeting WBD for several years, accusing the company of broken promises, anti-competitive practices, and canceling billions in film and TV projects in a cost cutting move.
The president, though, has reportedly spoken positively about the merger idea.
The New York Post reported that a source in the Trump administration says Trump favors the merger.
“Who owns Warner Bros. Discovery is very important to the administration,” a senior administration official told the paper. “The Warner board needs to think very seriously not just on the price competition but which player in the suitor pool has been successful getting a deal done.”
“And that points to the Ellisons,” the official added.
Paramount Skydance is only one suitor for WBD. Others include Netflix, Amazon, and Comcast.
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