States To Sue To Block Trump Allies From Getting Control Of CNN
A coalition of states is preparing a lawsuit to block Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Trump has already voiced approval for the deal because it would kill CNN as we know it.
The Paramount acquisition of Warner Brothers has many damaging facets to it. The deal will build an extreme amount of consolidation into the entertainment industry that borders on a monopoly. The deal would also put two of the biggest media properties in the United States (CBS and CNN) under the control of Trump ally David Ellison.
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The Trump administration has already virtually rubber-stamped approval of this deal because Ellison has promised sweeping changes to one of Trump's long-standing targets, CNN.
A look at what Bari Weiss has done to CBS offers a hint of what will come to CNN if this deal is not stopped.
A coalition of states has announced that they are filing a lawsuit to kill this acquisition.
California, New York, and other U.S. states are preparing a lawsuit to block Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. (WBD.O), sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The lawsuit is expected to be filed in the coming weeks, the sources said. It was not immediately clear which other states would join the lawsuit, which would mark the boldest move yet by the states in their effort to be at the forefront of U.S. antitrust enforcement.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday criticised what he called President Donald Trump’s “abdication” of federal antitrust agencies with more resources than the state governments. Bonta, a Democrat, has led the charge among states concerned about the deal, promising a probe soon after Paramount announced it would acquire Warner Bros, after beating a bid by streaming giant Netflix.
Antitrust laws are non-existent under the Trump administration, so if this terrible-for-America deal is going to be stopped, it will have to happen in court. The states, especially Democratic governors, have been a major backbone of the opposition to Trump.
While Democrats were still pretending like Trump 2.0 was business as usual, Democratic governors were taking action.
The last thing that American democracy needs is more media Trumpification, and this lawsuit could strike a blow for free markets, along with creative and press freedom.
What do you think about the lawsuit? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Most of us viewers do NOT want the undue power that this merger would result in! Monopolies hurt the American consumers and we have antitrust laws we need to invoke and NIX this merger! Our right to a free press and media is critical to the health of our democracy, and Ellison’s greed takes a backseat to media that is free of the meddling and bullying of a failed despot who will shortly be a lame duck due to his stunning amorality and trashing of our national honor in front of the world!
I watched 60 Minutes and CBS news until the re cent merger (murder). I don’t accept the new attitude and canceled my Paramount streaming service
Turning CNN into FOX #3 is maddening
Killing correct information to avoid offending one egomaniacal person is so wrong