LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Warner Bros. Discovery鈥檚 studio and streaming business, elected officials and Hollywood figures have strong opinions. Sen. Adam Schiff of California is calling for the to be subject to the 鈥渉ighest levels of scrutiny鈥� while actor Mark Ruffalo fears it could hurt competition. Many Democrats have come out against the merger.
Here’s what some are saying, in their own words:
Tessa Thompson
鈥淚t鈥檚 worrisome. I would lie if I said 鈥� as someone that鈥檚 making work and producing work 鈥� that it isn鈥檛 worrisome. But I think the North Star always has to be: Do you have a story to tell? Is it important to tell it?鈥� 鈥� the actor, in an interview with The Associated Press.
Sen. Adam Schiff
鈥淲hat was true for Netflix is still true now for Paramount. The merger of two of Hollywood鈥檚 biggest studios must be subject to the highest levels of scrutiny, free from White House political influence, to determine its impact on American jobs, freedom of speech, and the future of one of our nation鈥檚 greatest exports.鈥� 鈥� .
Mark Ruffalo
鈥淧lease let鈥檚 circle up all the State AG鈥檚 and talk about how this is going to kill completion in the industry and drive down wages, and product quality for consumers. There are lots of agents in Hollywood who can tell you how past mergers and consolidations have hurt their clients and business. There is lots of talent that can tell you the same.鈥� 鈥� the
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
鈥淎 Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. merger is an antitrust disaster threatening higher prices and fewer choices for American families. … A handful of Trump-aligned billionaires are trying to seize control of what you watch and charge you whatever price they want. With the cloud of corruption looming over Trump鈥檚 Department of Justice, it鈥檒l be up to the American people to speak up and state attorneys general to enforce the law.鈥� 鈥� the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, in a statement.
Sen. Chris Murphy
鈥淧aramount should enjoy its growing news monopoly while they have it because when Democrats win back power we are going to break up these anti-democratic information conglomerates. All of them.鈥� 鈥� .
Attorney General Rob Bonta
鈥淧aramount/Warner Bros is not a done deal. These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny 鈥� the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review.鈥� 鈥� the California attorney general, in a statement.
Sen. Cory Booker
鈥淚 intend to exercise Congress鈥� oversight authority and scrutinize this deal just as we did the Netflix transaction. And I will soon be unveiling legislation that would require DOJ & FTC to review all mergers under this Trump Admin and unwind any that are anticompetitive, bad for consumers, or put Americans out of work.鈥� 鈥� .
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