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Paramount & WB Deal Update Reveals One Big Hurdle That Merger Will Have to Overcome

The coalition says the consent decree is too weak and could leave workers, journalists and consumers exposed to harms from the merger.

  • On Thursday, the Block the Merger coalition filed an emergency motion in California federal court, asking Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin for an opportunity to oppose the settlement between Paramount and 12 state attorneys general.
  • Paramount reached a settlement on Monday with state attorneys general to resolve an antitrust lawsuit, committing to release at least 30 films annually and establishing independent editorial boards for CBS and CNN operations.
  • Opponents characterized the consent decree as "weak and unenforceable," arguing it fails to mitigate merger harms and poses a "First Amendment nightmare" by allowing corporate control over CBS and CNN newsrooms.
  • Judge Martinez-Olguin set a hearing for Thursday at 11 a.m. PST to address "certain outstanding questions" regarding the settlement's legal underpinnings, with opponents seeking to defer the decree's entry.
  • The transaction faces an October deadline, after which Paramount risks paying Warner Bros. Discovery $7 million per day if the merger fails to close, adding urgency to the legal dispute.
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The Desk broke the news on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
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