WBD Acquisition Thread

[Moe]

Do you think the judge will deny the temporary restraining order?

Do you think that we are expert in court cases?

Go ask lawyers, not members on this forum.

 

[FanzotheBanjo]

In the European side of things...
Mediapost is confident that this merger may not by approved in the UK, whilst the RSF has warned about it putting TVN's editorial independence in danger.

 

[themidnightlore]

In the European side of things...
Mediapost is confident that this merger may not by approved in the UK, whilst the RSF has warned about it putting TVN's editorial independence in danger.

Finally someone putting the alarm bells over TVN, Paramount getting their hands on that would be a tragedy, I fear.

 

[Francisque]

Nove also has some "independent-thinking" shows such as Che tempo che fa in Italy, so all in all, I wish even more for this acquisition to fail

 

[Perla Magica]

The merger is temporary halted:

Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

A judge on Monday granted a temporary restraining order pausing the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.

variety.com

 

[powergate92]

The Judge has now issueed a 14 day TRO and set a hearing date of August 3 to decide on a preliminary injunction.

Judge puts temporary pause on Paramount-Warner merger

Twelve state attorneys general requested a temporary restraining order barring Paramount Skydance from closing the blockbuster deal.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Francisque]

There is still hope

 

[RandomMe]

Nove also has some "independent-thinking" shows such as Che tempo che fa in Italy, so all in all, I wish even more for this acquisition to fail

The last place I'm expecting this to go would be La7

 

[LinusFan303]

Up next you want is preliminary injunction to be done. That'll at the very least tie things up in courts for awhile.

The judge noted that the combined share of the two companies would have a large market share in the release of theriacal distribution. On that alone the court found that it would violate anti-trust laws. The judge had no sympathy for the September 30th date and economic harm SkyDance it didn't weigh in their eyes to be equal or higher than potential public harms from the merger being approved.

The ones suing have until July 23 to file their PI , Paramount has until July 27 to pose their opposition brief and then the response to that by July 30 The hearing is Monday, August 3 at 3pm PT in Oakland.



The court couldn't accept SkyDance's argument that the merger would produce efficiencies in the streaming market.

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ordergranting27motionfortemporaryrestraining.pdf

 

[PF9]

Up next you want is preliminary injunction to be done. That'll at the very least tie things up in courts for awhile.

The judge noted that the combined share of the two companies would have a large market share in the release of theriacal distribution. On that alone the court found that it would violate anti-trust laws. The judge had no sympathy for the September 30th date and economic harm SkyDance it didn't weigh in their eyes to be equal or higher than potential public harms from the merger being approved.

The ones suing have until July 23 to file their PI , Paramount has until July 27 to pose their opposition brief and then the response to that by July 30 The hearing is Monday, August 3 at 3pm PT in Oakland.



The court couldn't accept SkyDance's argument that the merger would produce efficiencies in the streaming market.

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ordergranting27motionfortemporaryrestraining.pdf

And if the merger gets blocked permanently, what does WBD do next? Solicit acquisition bids from companies other than PSKY?

 

[LinusFan303]

And if the merger gets blocked permanently, what does WBD do next? Solicit acquisition bids from companies other than PSKY?

What they should do is nothing. Continue as normal or start plan A again of splitting up, any other option is terrible.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

The merger is temporary halted:

Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

A judge on Monday granted a temporary restraining order pausing the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.

variety.com

The Judge has now issueed a 14 day TRO and set a hearing date of August 3 to decide on a preliminary injunction.

Judge puts temporary pause on Paramount-Warner merger

Twelve state attorneys general requested a temporary restraining order barring Paramount Skydance from closing the blockbuster deal.

www.nbcnews.com

Up next you want is preliminary injunction to be done. That'll at the very least tie things up in courts for awhile.

The judge noted that the combined share of the two companies would have a large market share in the release of theriacal distribution. On that alone the court found that it would violate anti-trust laws. The judge had no sympathy for the September 30th date and economic harm SkyDance it didn't weigh in their eyes to be equal or higher than potential public harms from the merger being approved.

The ones suing have until July 23 to file their PI , Paramount has until July 27 to pose their opposition brief and then the response to that by July 30 The hearing is Monday, August 3 at 3pm PT in Oakland.



The court couldn't accept SkyDance's argument that the merger would produce efficiencies in the streaming market.

https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ordergranting27motionfortemporaryrestraining.pdf

That's great!

The only concern I have is judge Araceli failing to find evidence that would result in a preliminary injunction.

 

[Moe]

What they should do is nothing. Continue as normal or start plan A again of splitting up, any other option is terrible.

Yeah, if you become WBD CEO, WBD would be fixed, become financially solvent and lift the curse away.

As for Paramount, sell it to Sony and let Sony to fix and sell Paramount to new owner who is expert in studio.

David Ellison would be sit in little chair at his dad's office in Oracle and his dad say that money don't grow on tree after all AI bubble pops. Shari Redstone would be new friend for David Ellison lol.

The only concern I have is judge Araceli failing to find evidence that would result in a preliminary injunction.

Republican politicians hate Judge Araceli, however federal court is complicated and if you have a strong case, so it will win the court but if there isn't strong case, it will get dismissed. You need to find a fact to meet under antitrust law and concern about price hike alone by customers aren't enough, so it needs go more depth like state case.

If you can meet the lawsuit requirement under antitrust law, so you will win the case.

States are smart enough to avoid the political claims, so if they did like that, it would get dismissed.

Ellison's taunt at 12 state AGs by called weakest case got backfired on Ellison, but it is temporary for now.

Even if Biden was still president, Lina Khan may unable to stop Paramount-WBD because under antitrust law, she would have to sue Paramount to stop the merger, so it is 50%-50%. She lost the battle after judge allowed Microsoft to close the merger with Activision-Blizzard. Right now, Microsoft is in hot mess after multiple acquisitions.

And if the merger gets blocked permanently, what does WBD do next? Solicit acquisition bids from companies other than PSKY?

WBD would resume the split businesses for 1) studio and streaming and 2) linear networks + massive debt, so linear networks would be spin off to separate company with most of debt to shield WB studio and streaming from heavy debt in the future.

Question about whether WB would be bought is up in the air, so Amazon or Netflix could snitch.

Future of Paramount is depends on economic condition, especially AI bubble.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Yeah, if you become WBD CEO, WBD would be fixed, become financially solvent and lift the curse away.

As for Paramount, sell it to Sony and let Sony to fix and sell Paramount to new owner who is expert in studio.

David Ellison would be sit in little chair at his dad's office in Oracle and his dad say that money don't grow on tree after all AI bubble pops. Shari Redstone would be new friend for David Ellison lol.


Republican politicians hate Judge Araceli, however federal court is complicated and if you have a strong case, so it will win the court but if there isn't strong case, it will get dismissed. You need to find a fact to meet under antitrust law and concern about price hike alone by customers aren't enough, so it needs go more depth like state case.

If you can meet the lawsuit requirement under antitrust law, so you will win the case.

States are smart enough to avoid the political claims, so if they did like that, it would get dismissed.

Ellison's taunt at 12 state AGs by called weakest case got backfired on Ellison, but it is temporary for now.

Even if Biden was still president, Lina Khan may unable to stop Paramount-WBD because under antitrust law, she would have to sue Paramount to stop the merger, so it is 50%-50%. She lost the battle after judge allowed Microsoft to close the merger with Activision-Blizzard. Right now, Microsoft is in hot mess after multiple acquisitions.


WBD would resume the split businesses for 1) studio and streaming and 2) linear networks + massive debt, so linear networks would be spin off to separate company with most of debt to shield WB studio and streaming from heavy debt in the future.

Question about whether WB would be bought is up in the air, so Amazon or Netflix could snitch.

Future of Paramount is depends on economic condition, especially AI bubble.

It’s just that there are those who think the case against Paramount/WBD is weak.

 

[Moe]

It’s just that there are those who think the case against Paramount/WBD is weak.

This word is just came from Ellison and some conservatives that seen on FB, even vast majority of those conservatives aren't Paramount customers.

States met the legal requirement under antitrust law to challenge the merger.

I just learned that Tennessee has weak labor market, so it means move Paramount studio out of California is very highly unlikely and he would be sore loser if he did that. California is going to make sure that Ellison fail miserably if he did something on political ground.

 

[lowell]

And if the merger gets blocked permanently, what does WBD do next? Solicit acquisition bids from companies other than PSKY?

The $7B check combined with ongoing debt reductions makes a significant dent into WarnerDiscovery's debt load.

Zaslav could just continue HBO Max's international expansion with no more Skydance hiccups and ultimately fold Discovery+ into it to cut down on streaming operation costs.

What they should do is nothing. Continue as normal or start plan A again of splitting up, any other option is terrible.

Zaslav, Wiedenfels, and everyone else have continued working as normal in the "business as usual" state during this whole thing so yeah, they can just keep cutting the debt load to zero at this point.

A split scenario of S&S and GN risks bringing unsolicited bidders to come again so if the intention is to kick that can away, staying put as is makes sense.

Inevitably, Zaslav & Malone will hold another sales process for the entirety of WarnerDiscovery down the road but that would be on their own accords instead of being dragged into another forced wedding like the Ellisons.

As for Paramount, sell it to Sony and let Sony to fix and sell Paramount to new owner who is expert in studio.

David Ellison would be sit in little chair at his dad's office in Oracle and his dad say that money don't grow on tree after all AI bubble pops.

Question about whether WB would be bought is up in the air, so Amazon or Netflix could snitch.

Future of Paramount is depends on economic condition, especially AI bubble.

If the AI stock bubble's popping has OpenAI drag Oracle down, Larry would very well ask Sony to take Paramount Global off his hands so he can recoup his money and put it back into his beloved Oracle.

Sony is still trying to survive day by day with many gaps so having new revenue streams would fill that part for them and Paramount Global needs some whiff of fresh air after being nudged by the Redstones to inhale toxic Skydance fumes.

If the ultimate price to get David, Megan, & Larry Ellison to leave Hollywood forever is just Sony integrating with Paramount Global, that's enough for me because Sony would have more veteran executives with decades of experience of working in a major company than David and his lieutenants will ever actually have.

Zaslav will put in the effort to finish HBO Max's international rollout so that combined with the work chipping away at the debt load will ultimately boost WarnerDiscovery's overall valuation.

And he, Malone, & the board don't want to get lowball offers, if they sell, they want to get the highest price they possibly can get for the company.

 

[Insidus]

I read somewhere that WBD will likely be sold in pieces and end up like MGM if Paramount deal falls through.

 

[Moe]

I read somewhere that WBD will likely be sold in pieces and end up like MGM if Paramount deal falls through.

Source, please.

It looks like word is come from Luke.

Even with Paramount-WBD merger , you are going to find yourself see Paramount and WBD to be sold in pieces if merger end up as disaster.

No one credit from merger, exception of short term profit for wealthy shareholders, so they don't care about contents.

 

[lowell]

Source, please.

It looks like word is come from Luke.

Those sites need money so stirring up inaccurate controversies is their quick path to get clicks to generate revenue.

Zaslav's ongoing debt reductions combined with the $7B check will make a substantial impact in cutting down the debt load.

And HBO Max has able to gain up to more than 140M subscribers globally without Skydance so they can keep going.

In addition to just folding Discovery+ to bring down streaming operation costs, HBO Max would also get another subscriber boost from that move as well.

I read somewhere that WBD will likely be sold in pieces and end up like MGM if Paramount deal falls through.

Zaslav and Malone would still be able to do another sale of the entirety of WarnerDiscovery down the road but it would be on their own accords, not through unsolicited offers. They want to get the highest price possible for the company, basically why they balked at Ellisons' inital lowball amounts.

Paramount+ largely grew to 79M subscribers globally due to the work of Bob Bakish, Tom Ryan, and other Paramount Global executives.

With the Redstones arranging a forced marriage, Skydance kneecapped the company for a year from continuing any major work, including stalling Paramount+'s international expansion plans.

The only things David Ellison & his lieutenants get partial credit for would be folding BET+ into Paramount+ and getting back into the book publishing business.

Every other decision-making, including a greenlight for Rush Hour 4 based on an admin plea to Larry, has been incompetently executed without careful long-term consideration. You can also tell that the $7.7B UFC rights deal was substantially overpaid and might not be financially logical down the road.

With the lack of experience that Ellison & the Skydance brass hold, they would easily pale in comparison to the decades of work that Bakish and other Paramount Global executives. Even Sony's own executives would basically be a step up in management at this point.

 

[JulianRO]

Commission approves Paramount\'s acquisition of Warner, subject to conditions

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition by Paramount Skydance Corporation (‘Paramount\') of Warner Bros. Discovery (‘Warner\'). The approval is conditional upon full compliance with the commitments offered by Paramount.

ec.europa.eu

The EU approved the merger, with some conditions:

• Termination of Paramount's stake in UIP in the EEA within 13 months from the closing of the transaction;
• For a period of ten years, Paramount will not, directly or indirectly:
  • enter into any agreement or understanding with Universal to jointly co-distribute films in the EEA;
  • shift the distribution of Warner's films from Warner's existing distributor to the theatrical distributor used by Paramount, where that distributor also distributes Universal's or Disney's films in all UIP countries in the EEA (that is Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden); and
  • in the UIP countries in the EEA where Paramount and Universal do not share the same distributor, shift the distribution of Paramount's films from Paramount's existing distributor to the theatrical distributor used by Warner, where that distributor also distributes Universal's or Disney's films.