Judge halts Paramount's $111B purchase of Warner Bros. in win for US states
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the $111 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The ruling follows a lawsuit from 12 states arguing that the consolidation would unfairly reduce competition in the film and cable television markets.
Why it matters
This decision represents a significant hurdle for media consolidation and signals a more aggressive stance by state regulators against large-scale corporate mergers.
Not so fast Judge halts Paramount’s $111B purchase of Warner Bros. in win for US states Judge grants restraining order, saying merger “likely to violate antitrust laws.”
29 Credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images Credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav A federal judge today ordered Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $111 billion merger, handing an early win to states that sued to block the deal. The ruling granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the firms from completing the merger and from consolidating their operations.
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