Competition watchdog clears Paramount Warner Bros acquisition Media The UK competition watchdog has cleared the merger of Hollywood heavyweights Paramount and Warner Bros after concluding it does not pose an issue to competitiveness in the UK. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it would not investigate the matter further on Wednesday, as it did not “give rise to a realistic prospect of [...]
‘Scale is survival’: UK broadcasters race to merge as streaming giants squeeze revenues Media British broadcasters are turning to mergers as television revenues come under pressure from streaming services, YouTube and online ads, according to Ofcom. The media regulator’s annual Media Nations report found commercial broadcaster revenues fell from £4.98bn to £4.83bn in 2025, despite the wider TV and online video market growing seven per cent to £18.4bn. Growth [...]
Billionaire Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings quits after earnings miss Media The billionaire co-founder and chair of Netflix has quit after the streaming giant’s weak financial outlook spooked the market. Reed Hastings, who co-founded Netflix 29 years ago, told investors he will not stand for re-election in June and will focus on philanthropy once he leaves the firm. The shock departure comes after the streaming giant [...]
Paramount outguns Netflix for Warner Bros February 27, 2026 Paramount Skydance has emerged victorious in the months-long battle for Warner Bros Discovery, after Netflix refused to raise its offer for the Hollywood giant. The streaming group confirmed it would not match Paramount’s latest $31 (£23)-per-share bid, ending an $83bn pursuit that had threatened to reshape the entertainment sector. “We’ve always been disciplined, and at [...]
Warner Bros reopens Paramount talks as bidding war escalates February 17, 2026 Warner Bros Discovery has resumed talks with Paramount Skydance, reigniting the takeover battle with Netflix for one of Hollywood’s most sought-after studios. WBD confirmed it is entering seven days of deal discussions with the David Ellison-backed group, even as it continues to stand by its agreed $82.7bn (£60.94bn) deal with Netflix. The move follows months [...]
Paramount woos Warner Bros investors with regulatory delay payout February 10, 2026 Paramount has upped the ante in its bid for Warner Bros Discovery, adding a so-called ticking fee to its $108bn (£78bn) takeover offer. The move comes as the streaming giant seeks to reassure shareholders amid heightened antitrust scrutiny. Under the revised terms, Paramount Skydance will pay Warner Bros. Discovery investors an additional $0.25 per share [...]
Disney streaming gains momentum as Hollywood pressure builds February 2, 2026 Disney beat Wall Street expectations in its latest quarter, buoyed by an unexpected improvement in its streaming business, despite rising costs hitting the entertainment industry. The media giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.63 for its first fiscal quarter, ahead of estimates of around $1.56. Revenue rose five per cent year on year to [...]
Netflix flashes the cash to end Hollywood’s bidding war January 14, 2026 Netfix is reportedly readying an all-cash offensive to secure its long-awaited $83bn takeover of Warner Bros, in a move set to kill off a persistent hostile bid from rival Paramount Skydance. The Los Gatos streaming giant is set to snub the cash and stock bid in favour of a simpler, hard-currency deal, as it aims [...]
Warner Bros slides ahead of takeover deadline December 30, 2025 Warner Bros Discovery has been trading lower in the days leading up to the 21 January offer deadline, as investors weigh the chances of a successful deal amid competing bids from Netflix and Paramount Skydance. Shares slipped 0.04 per cent to $28.79 (£21.30) on Monday, trading around four per cent below Paramount’s $30 cash offer. [...]
Pressure mounts as Ellison stakes $40bn for Warner Bros December 23, 2025 In the latest twist in Hollywood’s own corporate soap opera, tech billionaire Larry Ellison has personally guaranteed $40.4bn (£30bn) to support Paramount Skydance’s $108.4bn bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), in a bid to outflank Netflix in the fight for the entertainment giant. Warner Bros urged shareholders last week to reject Paramount’s all-cash offer, citing [...]