NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Condemns Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani strongly criticized the massive $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery following a settlement announced on Monday, labeling the agreement a shameful monument to corruption.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Condemns Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

In a post published on X on Tuesday afternoon, the mayor argued that the deal compromises media independence. America is free only when the media is competitive, independent, and accountable to the people, Mamdani wrote, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This merger strikes a chilling blow against that freedom — and hands even more power to billionaires like David Ellison to decide what Americans see and hear, all while lifting scrutiny off the federal leaders who pushed it through.

State Attorneys General Reach Settlement to Clear $111 Billion Takeover

The criticism follows a settlement reached by 12 states—including California and New York—alongside the Writers Guild of America, agreeing to resolve their antitrust lawsuits against Paramount Skydance’s takeover bid led by owner David Ellison. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the settlement terms, which pave the way for the mega-merger to reshape the entertainment industry.

Under the agreed-upon consent decree, Paramount has committed to several behavioral conditions, including releasing at least 30 movies per year, increasing domestic film production, honoring union agreements to protect workers, and creating an independent editorial board to oversee journalistic standards and principles at CNN and CBS News. Additionally, the deal includes $1.5 billion of new investment in film production.

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A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin, scheduled a Zoom hearing for Thursday at 11 a.m. PT to address outstanding legal and factual questions regarding the proposed consent decree’s implementation and framework, following a motion filed by the parties to approve the settlement. The judge also canceled a previous hearing centered on whether the state attorneys general would need to post a bond during the course of the litigation.

Divisions Among State Attorneys General and Criticisms

The path to the settlement revealed internal fractures within the multi-state coalition. Prior to the agreement, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Nevada emerged as holdouts opposing weaker terms.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Condemns Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger — Photo: malaysia.news.yahoo.com

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong expressed deep disappointment with the final outcome, noting that his state had demanded a full divestiture of CNN and CBS News to protect ethical journalism.

By contrast, New York Attorney General Letitia James did not condemn the settlement, pointing instead to specific workforce protections secured in the agreement. Paramount’s commitments will allow the film and television industry to continue to thrive with more movies produced in America and $1.5 billion of new investment in film production, James stated, noting she would monitor Paramount’s compliance. Mayor Mamdani similarly expressed appreciation to James for the specific protections secured for workers.

Other external watchdogs offered harsher assessments. Free Press Co-CEO Jessica J. González criticized the settlement as a capitulation to billionaire pressure, arguing that behavioral remedies are unenforceable and fail to prevent job losses, price hikes, or corporate consolidation. Advocacy groups and critics continue to voice concerns over the long-term impact on entertainment workers and independent media reporting.