Paramount/WBD merger conditions give the public "virtually nothing," judge is told

A coalition of media advocacy groups has formally urged a US District Court judge to reject a settlement agreement regarding the $111 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal, which follows an antitrust lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, was initially challenged on the grounds that the consolidation would significantly reduce market competition. While California and other states have since agreed to a settlement, critics—including the Committee for the First Amendment and Free Press—argue that the proposed conditions fail to protect public interest or mitigate the anticompetitive effects of the merger. The groups contend that the settlement provides virtually no meaningful safeguards for consumers or the media landscape. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín is now tasked with determining whether the settlement is sufficient to warrant approval or if the merger should remain blocked under antitrust scrutiny.