David Ellison defends Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger amid legal battle
Ellison’s remarks came as a federal judge scheduled a March 2027 trial to hear antitrust challenges to the merger
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Published: Aug 5, 2026 8:27 AM | 1 min read
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- David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, defended the proposed US$110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasizing the need to compete with global tech and streaming companies.
- He dismissed concerns about the merger increasing market power or compromising the editorial independence of CBS and CNN, asserting both news organizations would remain non-partisan.
- Ellison projected that the merged company would invest over US$30 billion annually in content, producing around 30 films and 170 television series each year.
- The merger faces legal challenges from 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America, with a federal trial scheduled for March 2, 2027, despite having received regulatory approval in the US and EU.
Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison has publicly defended the company's proposed US$110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, saying the deal is needed to compete with global technology and streaming companies.
Writing in an opinion piece for The New York Times, Ellison rejected claims that the merger would give the combined company too much market power or compromise the editorial independence of Paramount’s CBS and Warner’s CNN. He said both news organisations would remain non-partisan.
Ellison also said the merged company would invest more than US$30 billion annually in content, producing around 30 films and 170 television series each year.
The comments come as the deal faces legal challenges in the US. A group of 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America have filed lawsuits seeking to block the merger, arguing it would reduce competition. While the transaction has received regulatory approval in the US and the European Union, court proceedings have delayed its completion, with a federal trial set for 2 March 2027.
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