US Justice Department Approves Paramount's Warner Deal, Citing No Competition Concerns

2026-06-13

The US Justice Department said on the 12th that it had approved US media giant Paramount Skydance's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. The move advances the creation of a huge media company.

Background to the approval decision

The Justice Department reviewed the deal for about eight months and allowed the acquisition without imposing conditions such as asset sales. If completed, the combined company would own CNN and CBS as well as both companies' film production businesses and streaming services. The department concluded that the deal was unlikely to harm competition or consumer interests in any sector.

Potential benefits of combining streaming services

In its statement, the department said that combining Paramount's streaming service Paramount+ and Warner's HBO Max could actually encourage market competition. It said the merged company could compete with major streamers such as Netflix and US Walt Disney.

Industry backlash and legal risks

Meanwhile, concern over job cuts remains strong in the film industry. Hollywood actors and film directors expressed opposition to the takeover in an open letter in April. As of June 12, the letter had gathered more than 5,000 signatures.

Authorities in California in the western United States and New York in the east could also file lawsuits seeking to block the acquisition. California Attorney General Bonta said on the 12th on X, formerly Twitter, after the Justice Department's approval that 'the deal is not yet a done deal' and that 'we are continuing our investigation'.

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