Merger talks between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery took fans by surprise

A possible merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount would change the entertainment landscape forever.

The entertainment landscape would again undergo a massive change if a possible merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global comes to fruition.

Axios reporter Sarah Fischer shared on Wednesday that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Paramount Global Bob Bakish met in New York City on Tuesday to discuss the potential for a merger.

“The duo discussed ways their companies could compliment one another. For example, each company’s main streaming service — Paramount+ and Max — could merge to better rival Netflix and Disney+,” Fischer reported.

The move would see two of the biggest film and television studios combine, as well as two major news branches (CNN and CBS News) and sports entertainment brands (Turner Sports and CBS Sports), if it were to actually go through, which is not a certainty in these early stages.

It would be the biggest move of its kind since Disney officially merged with Fox back in 2019.

Fischer adds that antitrust laws might not hold a Warner Bros. Discovery/Paramount deal back because of WBD’s lack of a broadcast network.

“Executives are confident that the deal would receive regulatory approval, despite D.C.’s active antitrust climate,” Fischer wrote. “Notably, Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t own a broadcast network, which would clear an easier path than would a combination with a company like NBC owner Comcast.”

However, Puck shared recently that other entities like Skydance Media and RedBird Capital Partners have been reported as looking at buying a majority stake in Paramount’s parent company, National Amusements Inc.

A possible merger could involve Warner Bros. Discovery merging with just Paramount Global or NAI on a whole, per Axios.

For media fans, the news of another major corporate merger between two legacy media companies drew plenty of surprise and some reservation.