{"id":16404,"date":"2026-07-25T04:18:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T23:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=16404"},"modified":"2026-07-25T04:18:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T23:18:45","slug":"paramount-says-its-warner-bros-discovery-acquisition-is-on-hold-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=16404","title":{"rendered":"Paramount says its Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition is on hold : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-135513\" class=\"bucketwrap image x-large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 2650;&#10;        --source-height: 1767;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 1800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/2400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg 2400w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1350px) 953px, (min-width: 1025px) calc(100vw - 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395px), (min-width: 768px) calc(100vw - 60px), calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1767+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"FILE - The Paramount Pictures water tower is seen in Los Angeles, Dec. 18, 2025, with the Hollywood sign in the distance. (AP Photo\/Jae C. Hong, File)\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Jae C. Hong\/Associated Press<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletter\/news\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Sign up for NPR&#8217;s\u00a0<\/em>Up First<em>\u00a0morning newsletter for the stories you need to start your day.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The blockbuster merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is on hold \u2014 possibly for many months \u2014 as two legal challenges to the $111 billion deal play out in court.<\/p>\n<p>In a legal filing in federal court in California on Friday, Paramount says it has agreed not to take any steps to acquire Warner until June 1, 2027, or five days after the lawsuits are resolved, if that comes first.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed deal would unite Paramount and Warner&#8217;s film studios, streamers Paramount+ and HBO, and dozens of cable channels, along with CBS and CNN.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>But Paramount is battling a pair of lawsuits filed by a consortium of 12 states and from the Writers Guild of America, which represents many entertainment professionals who work in Hollywood.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic attorneys general and the Writers Guild allege that Paramount&#8217;s purchase of Warner Bros. would reduce competition, hurting filmgoers along with TV and news consumers and especially those who create entertainment programming and the news content that the public relies on.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5906818-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5903825\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/23\/nx-s1-5903825\/can-paramount-gift-its-way-past-the-fcc\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/23\\\/nx-s1-5903825\\\/can-paramount-gift-its-way-past-the-fcc&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1%2Fc0%2F4b20c2534235a93396e9c1b858d2%2Fa9aa2330-a5b4-4db4-a64b-b3c11cbe2787.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5906818-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Araceli Mart\u00ednez-Olgu\u00edn granted a<a href=\"https:\/\/oag.ca.gov\/system\/files\/attachments\/press-docs\/ordergranting27motionfortemporaryrestraining.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> temporary restraining order<\/a> to pause the acquisition. Mart\u00ednez-Olgu\u00edn has yet to sign the agreement filed Friday.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/press-release\/2026\/attorney-general-james-halts-paramounts-merger-warner-bros-months\" target=\"_blank\">a statement<\/a>, New York Attorney General Leticia James wrote, &#8220;Halting this merger while our case proceeds is a critical victory in our efforts to uphold the law and protect the film and television industries.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our argument against this illegal merger is straightforward: When too few corporations have too much power in markets central to American life, it makes things more expensive, and it makes things worse,&#8221; said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.<\/p>\n<p>The delay will have huge financial costs for Paramount. Starting Oct. 1,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paramount.com\/press\/paramount-enhances-its-superior-30-per-share-all-cash-offer-for-warner-bros-discovery-and-provides-update-on-regulatory-progress\" target=\"_blank\"> Paramount has to pay Warner shareholders<\/a> a &#8220;ticking consideration&#8221; of roughly $650 million for every 90 days the deal is set back. If the deal is not closed by June 4, 2027, Paramount would have to pay Warner $7 billion according to the terms of the deal that Warner shareholders approved.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<aside id=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" class=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" aria-label=\"recommended stories\"\/>\n<!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>A Paramount spokesperson confirmed those fees are not affected by the latest development.<\/p>\n<p>Paramount said in a statement that the company looks forward to going to trial.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today&#8217;s agreement is a significant win because the result is exactly what we have sought from the outset: a direct path to a trial based on the evidence,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;This is the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers, and good for creators, a conclusion dozens of competition authorities around the world have already reached.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The proposed deal has gotten scrutiny outside Hollywood for the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/27\/nx-s1-5728865\/warner-bros-paramount-ellison-family\" target=\"_blank\"> relationship between Paramount&#8217;s controlling family and President Trump<\/a> \u2014 especially because two major newsrooms would be under that family&#8217;s control.<\/p>\n<p>The merger is largely bankrolled by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount CEO David Ellison and a close ally of Trump. Trump has long accused CNN of being &#8220;fake news&#8221; and has publicly mused about what he&#8217;d like to do to the cable news giant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jae C. Hong\/Associated Press Sign up for NPR&#8217;s\u00a0Up First\u00a0morning newsletter for the stories you need to start your day. The blockbuster merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is on hold \u2014 possibly for many months \u2014 as two legal challenges to the $111 billion deal play out in court. In a legal filing in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2650x1491+0+144\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F95%2Fc5239a4b41c7bde8a47c4763df7f%2Fap26058003516764.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16404\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}