Paramount CEO David Ellison has stated that the legal backlash against the $111bn merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is driven by political motivations, rather than concerns about market share. Ellison made these comments in a New York Times guest essay published on Tuesday, 4 August 2026.
Ellison noted that regulators in 65 countries, including the United States, have reviewed and approved the deal. He downplayed competitive concerns raised by a state coalition and the Writers Guild of America West and East, which have also sued to block the merger.
In his essay, Ellison addressed speculation about his politics and intentions regarding CNN, stating, “The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of Warner’s CNN.” He affirmed his commitment to the independence of CNN and CBS News, writing that he does not "aspire to lead these companies to bend their newsrooms to my views."
The $111bn merger agreement is currently stalled in a California court after a 12-state coalition filed a lawsuit on anti-competitive grounds. Following a temporary block by district judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, Paramount decided to hold up the merger until the case goes to trial, or until June 2027. Paramount has proposed a November trial, while the state coalition has requested April 2027.