Warner Bros to reject $108bn Paramount bid

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Warner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports. Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.

Posted by REDIAL at 09:41 PM | 7 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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... At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". ...

Mr Kushner couldn't get enough foreign money to make a worthwhile bid?

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-16 10:05 PM | Reply

So, if Affinity Partners has pulled out, is that enough of a reason for Pres Trump to remove his thumb from the scale?

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-16 10:22 PM | Reply

@#2 ... is that enough of a reason for Pres Trump to remove his thumb from the scale? ...

Or will Pres Trump follow the lead of his buddy in Hungary?

Hostile takeover: How Orban is subjugating the media in Hungary (2017)
www.boell.de

... The narratives provided by at least one hundred Hungarian news outlets are now under the complete political control of Minister of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office Antal Rogan and rpad Habony, the Prime Minister's spin doctor.[1]

According to the independent Hungarian news site 444.hu, these two individuals are the ones who give instructions to the editorial staffs of newspapers, television and radio stations, and news websites.

These media outlets are used to persuade voters that things have improved under the rule of Fidesz, and to discredit the opposition and any public persona they deem undesirable. ...

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-16 10:27 PM | Reply

Folks in Budapest are convinced Orban won't win. I think they've had enough of his nonsense.

#4 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-12-16 10:40 PM | Reply

Hostile takeovers rarely succeed

#5 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-12-16 10:40 PM | Reply

@#5 ... Hostile takeovers rarely succeed ...

I do not disagree with that.

However, in this merger Pres Trump has stated that he will be the decider.

So, will Pres Trump for what is best for the shareholders?

Or will Pres Trump in his own best interests and tip the merger scale in his favor?

And, fwiw, by "in his favor" I allude to the Ellison-owned Paramount conglomerate. The Ellisons, who seem to be MAGA at heart.

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-16 10:59 PM | Reply

@#6 ... So, will Pres Trump for what is best for the shareholders?

Or will Pres Trump in his own best interests and tip the merger scale in his favor? ...

OK, I need to read the preview more closely.

I meant to say ...

So, will Pres Trump do what is best for the shareholders?

Or will Pres Trump act in his own best interests and tip the merger scale in his favor?

#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-16 11:01 PM | Reply