WBD Acquisition Thread

[LinusFan303]

Therefore, PSKY could be sold or split up and David Ellison might be ousted as their CEO.

On the Ousted part , not really, unless his Dad turns on him. The company which is SkyDance that bought Paramount has a class A/ Class B stock structure. Class B shareholders don't have the voting power. The Class A shareholders do and guess who those shareholders are? David hold 100% of the Ellison family voting interests and 50% of the company's voting rights. His dad controls 27.5% voting rights and Redbird Capital partners has 22.5%. His Dad does have a say in the money of course, like when I say SkyDance was just him playing his dad's money, it's that.

I would love SkyDance to not own Paramount (I was against that too) and that'd be a nice split. Honestly, if there was a button that freed CBS from the company and everything else fall where it falls for Paramount , I'd press that. But I don't see that happening, unless there's a massive thing that wipes that company payments. Losing $9.8 Billion is better than being in large almost $100bn in debt burden. That money could have been used to invest the company or something, so it would be deserved to lose it.

 

[lowell]

One suggestion I did have for this scenario is Apple - this could result in that company's streaming service being combined with Paramount+. And when linear MLS rights are next up for grabs, CBS could replace Fox to bring all MLS broadcast rights under one roof.

Given Apple sees entertainment as part of the services department & is heavily focused on their core iPhone & Mac computer businesses, it's far more likelier that they'll fetch the remains of OpenAI on the cheap.

In any emergency situation, their bread-and-butter revenue streams of iPhone & Mac computers takes full priority because they're primarily a tech company at the end of the day.

If AI bubble pops, so his dad could end up to sell to Sony for multi-ownership and it means merge with WBD would be cancelled with breakup fee paid to WBD if assume that legal issue hasn't resolved.

It wouldn't be official ownership but it is for caretaker purpose until Sony is able to divest the rest of Paramount to new buyer if Ellison went into crisis.

Eh, I'd honestly wouldn't jump to any actual conclusions at this point because it's still kind of hard to think that far out.

If Larry wants to recoup his money to prop up his beloved Oracle post-AI bubble's popping by selling to Sony, it could technically be done at a fair yet not steep price.

Sony could actually pledge to shred David Ellison's & RedBird's unfinished layoff plans on Day 1 to also get somewhere.

It might be kind of weird to say this but the combined layoffs under the Redstones & Skydance's purview since July 2024 could negate future ones if there was some formal commitment on barring any layoffs for a number of years that can be secured, after relieving Ellison's handpicked Skydance leadership of their duties.

But overall, if the price to get the entire Ellison family to move away from Hollywood is to integrate Paramount Global's operations into Sony, I'll take that offer instantly because in a room with the incompetent Skydance lieutenants, Sony executives are the adults here.

 

[Moe]

Eh, I'd honestly wouldn't jump to any actual conclusions at this point because it's still kind of hard to think that far out.

I just based on your old post that is more somewhat predictive but it is impossible to know about what his dad would looks like.

My guess would be sell to investment group to take rest of his dad's voting power.

It won't stop his son from attempt to merge with WBD if he is able to find a fund replacement in case when his dad back out.

My hope that AI bubble pops would lead to severe recession that is enough to hit Oracle very hard, so his dad would be in craze mode and it could push his son to end the merger, so his dad is going to realize that get WBD over CNN is not worth the investment to make Trump happy because alternative to CNN would pop up to make a big one quickly, so Trump would gain other foe again.

 

[lowell]

I just based on your old post that is more somewhat predictive but it is impossible to know about what his dad would looks like.

My guess would be sell to investment group to take rest of his dad's voting power.

It won't stop his son from attempt to merge with WBD if he is able to find a fund replacement in case when his dad back out.

My hope that AI bubble pops would lead to severe recession that is enough to hit Oracle very hard, so his dad would be in craze mode and it could push his son to end the merger, so his dad is going to realize that get WBD over CNN is not worth the investment to make Trump happy because alternative to CNN would pop up to make a big one quickly, so Trump would gain other foe again.

Either way, if the AI stock bubble's popping has OpenAI drag Oracle, Skydance, Annapurna in one go and maybe the U.S.'s regional war somehow also leads to the demise of Ellison's private equity partner as well, RedBird's Gerry Cardinale, that's pretty much a good day for everyone.

 

[JulianRO]

Best thing for WBD would be to give up on the merger, after all, they will get some money. In total, almost $10 billion from Netflix and PSKY's termination fees.

 

[Moe]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Encourages State AGs to Settle Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Lawsuit | Report

The Wall Street Journal reports California's governor is concerned employment in the state could suffer if the $110 billion deal is blocked

www.thewrap.com

Ugh at Gavin Newsom but good thing about him that he is term limited and he will be out of power earlier next year.

as for Gavin Newsom, hell no, Ellison can still move all of both studios out of California if he wanted and you would be sore loser. I hopefully state AGs continue with antitrust lawsuit and ignore everything about what Newsom is saying.

 

[John Pannozzi]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Encourages State AGs to Settle Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Lawsuit | Report

The Wall Street Journal reports California's governor is concerned employment in the state could suffer if the $110 billion deal is blocked

www.thewrap.com

Ugh at Gavin Newsom but good thing about him that he is term limited and he will be out of power earlier next year.

as for Gavin Newsom, hell no, Ellison can still move all of both studios out of California if he wanted and you would be sore loser. I hopefully state AGs continue with antitrust lawsuit and ignore everything about what Newsom is saying.

A newsletter I got from Hollywood Reporter today is skeptical if Newsom is really as pro-Paramount as that article implies he is.

 

[Moe]

A newsletter I got from Hollywood Reporter today is skeptical if Newsom is really as pro-Paramount as that article implies he is.

I don't perceive him as pro-Paramount but it is more of middle to ensure that Hollywood wouldn't be affected by merger or failed merger.

I had to find alternative article that is better suited because I don't want to use CCN.

 

[John Pannozzi]

I don't perceive him as pro-Paramount but it is more of middle to ensure that Hollywood wouldn't be affected by merger or failed merger.

I had to find alternative article that is better suited because I don't want to use CCN.

What's CCN? Do you mean CNN?

 

[Mandouga]

What's CCN? Do you mean CNN?

It ain't the Clamp Cable Network, that's for sure.

(If you know, you know...)

 

[RandomMe]

What's CCN? Do you mean CNN?

Cord Cutters News, it became another cookie cutter website with AI-generated lead images

 

[Moe]

What's CCN? Do you mean CNN?

Cord Cutters News.

 

[LinusFan303]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Encourages State AGs to Settle Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Lawsuit | Report

The Wall Street Journal reports California's governor is concerned employment in the state could suffer if the $110 billion deal is blocked

www.thewrap.com

Ugh at Gavin Newsom but good thing about him that he is term limited and he will be out of power earlier next year.

as for Gavin Newsom, hell no, Ellison can still move all of both studios out of California if he wanted and you would be sore loser. I hopefully state AGs continue with antitrust lawsuit and ignore everything about what Newsom is saying.

I saw the WSJ report that yesterday and seen people skeptical of it. The WSJ posted a pro-merger opinion earlier this week. I wouldn't put it past the people at SkyDance to start a little PR war. Newsom earlier this year added money to fight for anti-trust.

Cord Cutters News, it became another cookie cutter website with AI-generated lead images

I said they were terrible 2 years ago, they didn't get better.