Britain considers antitrust intervention in the $110 billion deal, citing media freedom and on-demand programming concerns.
Britain is leaning toward intervening in Paramount Skydance Corp’s $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, citing potential risks to media freedom and on-demand content availability. The move could escalate to a formal review by the UK’s antitrust regulator, which previously blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal before approving a revised proposal.
The deal has already secured approvals from the US, China, Australia, Germany, France, and Saudi Arabia. UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy set a July 6 deadline for the companies to respond, emphasizing the need for a timely decision. British assets at stake include Channel 5, CNN International, TNT Sports, and streaming services like Paramount+ and HBO Max.
A formal intervention notice would trigger further regulatory scrutiny, potentially delaying or derailing the merger. The outcome could set a precedent for future cross-border media deals in the UK.