All articles tagged with #netflix
Netflix's bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studios and streaming assets heats up as Ted Sarandos plans a White House visit to discuss the deal, with a rival Paramount Skydance offer in play, DoJ antitrust scrutiny, and Trump pressing Netflix over a board-member issue.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is heading to the White House to press administration officials on Netflix’s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets, as Paramount’s revised offer and DOJ antitrust scrutiny heat up the WBD deal; the visit—his second DC trip in weeks—highlights the high-stakes battle over WB’s streaming and film assets, with Sarandos stressing the deal is regulatory rather than political.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos will meet at the White House on Thursday to discuss Netflix’s bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery amid a heated bidding fight with Paramount and ongoing DOJ antitrust scrutiny. President Trump has pressured Netflix to fire board member Susan Rice, a former Biden adviser, a move Sarandos downplayed as a business matter; it’s unclear if he’ll meet Trump. Paramount’s higher bid could force Netflix to raise its offer, while Netflix declined to comment.
Nearly a dozen Republican state attorneys general are urging the U.S. Department of Justice to subject Netflix’s planned $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to a thorough Clayton Act review, warning the deal would concentrate market power, raise prices, and curb innovation for American consumers; the DOJ has opened a formal antitrust probe into Netflix’s bid, while Paramount’s Ellison attended the State of the Union and Democrats have their own concerns. Netflix says its competition is YouTube and denies it would monopolize the market, and both Netflix and Paramount declined to comment.
Taylor Tomlinson's Netflix hour Prodigal Daughter traces her evolution from church-stage beginnings to a more nuanced approach to religious material, discusses leaving the late-night scene after hosting After Midnight, and weighs the state of late-night versus podcasts and streaming as she reflects on career choices and creative boundaries.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Paramount Skydance’s revised bid to buy the entire company (including its cable networks) could be preferable to Netflix’s deal, lifting the offer to $31 per share (~$77 billion) with a $7 billion reverse termination fee and reimbursement of costs if regulators block Netflix’s agreement. The board has not yet chosen a winner, Netflix would have four days to respond if WBD shifts bids, and the bidding war—fired up after Paramount’s unsolicited late-2025 offer—continues amid antitrust scrutiny. Analysts say roughly $34 a share could end the contest, and Paramount has welcomed the latest development while regulators’ approval remains required.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s board says Paramount Skydance’s revised bid could reasonably lead to a “Company Superior Proposal” under WBD’s Netflix merger agreement, detailing $31 per WBD share in cash, a quarterly ticking fee after Sept. 30, 2026, a $7 billion regulatory termination fee, PSKY’s payment of WBD’s $2.8 billion Netflix break‑up fee, added equity funding if needed, and a narrowed MAE definition; the board has not yet ruled this proposal superior to Netflix and will continue talks, with the Netflix merger remaining in effect and recommended. Advisors are listed in the release.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Paramount’s revised, sweeter offer could reasonably be deemed a superior proposal under its merger agreement with Netflix and will continue talks with Paramount’s Skydance-backed bid, while Netflix’s deal remains in place. The new bid values Paramount at $31 per share in cash, includes a $0.25 per quarter ticking fee starting after Sept. 30, 2026, a $7 billion regulatory termination fee, and repayment of WBD’s $2.8 billion Netflix termination fee, plus equity funding and a modified material adverse effect clause. If the board concludes the PSKY offer is superior, Netflix would have four business days to negotiate; there’s no guarantee a deal will close.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Paramount Skydance’s revised offer to buy the entire company for about $77 billion ($31 per share) — including a $7 billion reverse termination fee and reimbursement of potential Netflix-related costs — could be preferable to Netflix’s studio-and-streaming deal. The Warner board has not decided a winner; Netflix would have four days to counter if Paramount’s bid is favored. Regulatory approval is still required, and some analysts say bids near $34 a share could end the bidding.
Paramount raised its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery to $31 a share, signaling the potential for a superior proposal to Netflix’s deal and intensifying a months-long battle over the media company. The revised bid adds ticking fees, a $7 billion termination fee, and coverage of Netflix’s $2.8 billion break‑fee, while dropping an earlier walk‑away condition. Warner Bros. Discovery says it will continue talks and could prompt Netflix to counter if Paramount’s bid is deemed superior. Netflix’s deal remains in effect with a March 20 shareholder vote, amidst antitrust scrutiny from regulators such as the DOJ.
Paramount Global has boosted its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery to $31 a share in cash, plus a $7 billion regulatory termination fee if regulators block the deal, and a ticking fee of $0.25 per quarter after Sept. 30, 2026; Paramount also agreed to cover WBD’s $2.8 billion Netflix termination fee. Netflix has offered about $27.75 per WBD share (roughly $82.7 billion). WBD’s board has not yet declared Paramount’s offer superior to Netflix’s, and could trigger a four‑business‑day negotiation window for Netflix if it deems Paramount’s bid a “Company Superior Proposal.” The bid comes as Paramount pursues a potentially hostile deal ahead of a March 20 shareholder vote on the Netflix agreement.
Paramount Skydance filed what appears to be a sweeter bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which the WBD board says it is reviewing with advisers, while Netflix’s existing transaction to buy WBD’s studios and streaming assets remains in effect. Netflix has four business days to match Paramount’s revised offer under the Netflix merger agreement; if Paramount’s proposal is deemed a “Company Superior Proposal” by WBD, the Netflix deal could be terminated and a definitive merger with Paramount could proceed. Financial terms of Paramount’s updated bid were not disclosed.
Warner Bros. Discovery said it is reviewing Paramount’s revised cash takeover proposal with its financial and legal advisers, but disclosed no terms. Paramount has kept its prior tender as a placeholder and said any WBD deal would require a “Company Superior Proposal” under its Netflix merger agreement, with Netflix’s bid remaining in effect and a March 20 stockholder vote on the Netflix deal still on the calendar.
Warner Bros. Discovery says Paramount Skydance has submitted a higher bid and its board will review it under the Netflix deal. If Paramount’s offer is deemed superior, Netflix will have four days to improve its bid; Netflix previously agreed to acquire WBD’s studio and streaming assets for $27.75 per share (~$72 billion in assets, ~$82.7 billion enterprise value). Paramount’s tender values WBD at $30 per share in a hostile bid. If Paramount wins and Netflix doesn’t raise its bid, a $2.8 billion breakup fee would be paid. A combined Paramount-WBD would merge HBO Max with Paramount+, with CNN and CBS News under one umbrella, both deals needing regulatory approval amid antitrust concerns.
Warner Bros. Discovery's board is expected to take Paramount Skydance's new bid under review while continuing to back Netflix's agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studios and streaming unit; Netflix has a four‑day window to match Paramount's offer. The terms of the updated Paramount proposal were not disclosed, and WBD has previously rebuffed Paramount nine times, seeking clarity on a bid that could price shares above $31. Netflix's deal values WBD at about $83 billion, with Paramount's bid for the entire company reportedly near $108 billion. If Paramount's bid proceeds, Netflix would still acquire the studios and streaming assets under the current terms, while WBD shareholders would retain an equity stake in Discovery Global; financing for Paramount's bid includes major banks and investors. Netflix's Ted Sarandos has indicated willingness to walk away if the price overpays.