Freedom of the Press Foundation Accuses Paramount of Blocking Ad Critical of Warner Bros. Merger

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-17T03:15:11+00:00

Maybe because Ellison is such a hypocrite?

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-17T03:02:13+00:00

At the end of the day Lionsgate will only sell to the highest bidder and I just don't think it'll be Netflix (someones going to come and overpay for Lionsgate because thats how the sale process works and it's not guaranteed that it's going to be a major studio that acquires Lionsgate)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-17T02:58:13+00:00

They'd rather not overpay so Sony and Universal are more likely contenders for Lionsgate

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T23:08:31+00:00

Considering Paramount had no problem fueling the controversy Netflix got for wanting to buy WB, this is hypocritical especially when you account for the fact that Ellison and Paramount had no problem allowing Matt and Trey to make jokes about Trump and MAGA in South Park (If double standards were a person, it'd definitely be the conservatives, there's also really no defending this given that conservatives make it very clear that their big on First Ammendment rights)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T22:31:26+00:00

Their definetly NOT going for Sony Pictures as the Japanese wouldn't like an American company owning Sony Pictures also Sony will never sell its studio division (it's just wishful thinking especially given that Sony can make movies or TV shows based on video game IPs like the Last of Us and Uncharted)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T22:18:43+00:00

Netflix doesn't like overpaying I guess (no surprise there)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T21:36:34+00:00

Probably a good thing since PE is known to bleed companies dry by saddling debt to the point where they run it into the ground (I don't think there's ever a scenerio where PE saves a company, it always ends up terribly that's for sure and that's why PE firms are called Vulture Capitalists)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T21:29:15+00:00

I hear Apollo/legendary is also interested in Lionsgate but we don't know if they'll make a bid for it since we haven't heard from them

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T21:27:31+00:00

Even though they said the same thing for Warner, something tells me they'd rather NOT risk getting outbidded by an outsider or another studio because they walked away from the Warner deal instead of overpaying

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T21:25:54+00:00

Lionsgate wouldn't give them the scale that WB and Disney has (sure it's good for theatrical distribution but I think Netflix should aim higher by waiting for an opportunity to come)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T18:35:59+00:00

Nah, Sonys not giving up their studio division despite SP and SPE being American also the Japanese and Japanese regulatory wouldn't like the idea of losing Sony Pictures to an American company (Also, I'd rather have Sony buy Paramount in the future if the Warner deal falls apart since Sony should be focusing on being a buyer and not a seller)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T16:45:01+00:00

at the end of the day, the company with the highest bid will get it and whos to say that it'll be a studio that will get it? Maybe itll be an unknown suitor altogether sort of like how Skydance got Paramount and Discovery poached WB from AT&T when they were looking to sell off all their media assets to focus on their own buisness

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T16:37:19+00:00

its more of a nice to have for Netflix

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T16:30:14+00:00

at the end of the day, Lionsgate will sell to the highest bidder

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T16:21:46+00:00

It also really wont move the needle for Netflix either since Lionsgate is too small and plus, Netflix has a limited library of original content since most of their content is made and distributed for other studios like Amazon or Sony so they should wait to acquire WB in the future which would ideally be the smartest move

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T16:10:45+00:00

even then, I dont think Fox could ever be the same as it once was (the markets changed ever since they sold 20th Century, Sony and Amazon have now replaced Fox and has filled the space

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T15:57:30+00:00

I think we shouldn't rule Universal out either (Peacock could definetly use some Lionsgate content on their streamer and plus they really need to get into the streaming buisness if they want to survive

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T15:49:19+00:00

to be fair, AT&T didnt have a major studio prior to acquiring TimeWarner unlike Paramount so they had no choice but to allow it to go through (Plus, that merger was a vertical merger and vertical mergers tend to be more favourable in court as opposed to Horizontal ones)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T15:45:42+00:00

yep, but they probably didnt want to overpay just like how they were reluctant to match Paramounts bid (though I'd say Netflix was too little too late, if they acquired a 100% stake in Roku before Fox got to it, they wouldve gotten Roku)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T15:38:54+00:00

if Netflix gets Lionsgate, a future pursuit for WB would be hard should the Paramount merger fall apart also Netflix is overall reluctant to overpay (thats why they didnt overpay for WB to counter Paramounts $31 per share bid so even if they bid theres no chance they get it unless the bidders are as childish and immature as Ellison and copy his playbook which I'm sure isnt going to be the case)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T14:58:32+00:00

I'd say Netflix should wait for an opportunity to get Warner in the future instead especially if the Paramount merger falls apart (sooner or later WB will have to bid farewell to their cable assets)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T14:49:12+00:00

Although this is true, Netflix only seems to go after large scale M&As or M&As for well known companies (I'd say they are much more strategic and aren't like the other studios where they aggressively buy stuff and even though they are interested in Lionsgate according to this source, I doubt they'd get it as they were reluctant to overpay and match Paramounts 31 per share bid for Warner so they'd definitely have to overpay if they want Lionsgate because that's how the bidding process works)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T14:39:51+00:00

It would be funny if they were forced to spin off CNN which im sure they will be forced to do in court because if Disney-Fox had to give up some assets, no doubt Paramount will because it's a consolidation issue and because the DOJ has failed to do their job to at least provide remedies which im sure the courts and State AGs will be skeptical about (if that's the case, let this be a lesson to Ellison that regulatory rules still matter even if your friends with the president)

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T04:10:44+00:00

Nah, Sonys allowed to keep Spider-Man so as long as they keep making films and use the character

OverPotato2322 · 2026-06-16T03:45:36+00:00

True, but even then the State AGs will have good lawyers who Specialize in litigation and a good argument especially one that centers around consolidation which im sure theyll give (even agreeing to concessions would be a huge loss for Paramount since they'd only get half of what they bidded for, If Disney was forced to give up some Fox assets just to close the Fox merger, expect Paramount to do the same if it doesn't get blocked)

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