Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have approved Paramount Skydance’s proposed takeover of the media group, advancing a deal valued at roughly $110 billion including debt in a move that could reshape Hollywood and the global entertainment industry.
According to a preliminary vote count on Thursday, an overwhelming majority of shareholders backed the transaction. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders would receive $31 per share if the merger completes, clearing a key hurdle.
The companies expect the deal to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval in the U.S. and Europe.
If completed, the merger would combine a vast portfolio of entertainment and news assets, bringing together HBO Max, CNN and the Harry Potter franchise with Paramount’s CBS network, Paramount+ and the Top Gun franchise.
Despite shareholder approval, the transaction faces significant regulatory scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice has already issued subpoenas related to the deal, while authorities in Europe are also expected to examine its impact on competition.
Critics have warned that further consolidation in the media sector could reduce competition, lead to job losses and limit content diversity.
At a recent congressional hearing, Democratic Senator Cory Booker said the deal raised questions about “who controls news, who controls entertainment, who controls storytelling.”
The merger has also drawn opposition from parts of the creative community, with thousands of industry professionals raising concerns about reduced opportunities and creative output.
While shareholders approved the merger, they rejected an advisory vote on executive compensation packages tied to the deal, including a proposed payout for Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav.
Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison has sought to reassure stakeholders, pledging continued theatrical releases and a commitment to cinema while signalling potential efficiencies across the combined group.
However, the deal has heightened concerns about cost-cutting measures, including potential layoffs and operational restructuring, as the combined company seeks to deliver returns on the transaction.
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The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
We are not witnessing another cyclical downturn or a temporary geopolitical disturbance. What we are living through is far more profound: a systemic recalibration of the global order. Three long-standing assumptions have quietly collapsed.
The European Union adopted its 20th package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday (23 April), introducing sweeping new restrictions aimed at weakening Moscow’s war economy and limiting its capacity to sustain the war in Ukraine.
United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
Pakistan is confident it can bring Iran to talks with the United States, a senior official said, citing “positive signals” from Tehran, as JD Vance is reportedly set to visit Islamabad on Tuesday for peace talks, according to Axios.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted three vessels, seizing two of them for alleged maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is extending its ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday, exclusively to Reuters.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
The 2,500-year-old Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and two ancient gold bracelets have been returned to Romanian authorities after being stolen from a Dutch museum in January last year.
The architect of the modern K-pop boom, Bang Si-hyuk, is facing arrest by South Korean police over claims he illegally gained millions in an investor fraud scheme.
Musician D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder over the death of a teenage girl whose dismembered remains were found inside a car linked to him, prosecutors in Los Angeles County have said.
Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Kanye West has postponed his upcoming concert in Marseille, France, “until further notice”, amid mounting political opposition and renewed controversy over his past remarks.
Archaeologists in China have uncovered a vast ancient water channel system believed to be around 4,000 years old, offering new insight into early engineering and the development of Chinese civilisation.
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