Faceoff brewing over Paramount-Warner Bros. merger | Courthouse News…

A federal judge is weighing a temporary restraining order to block the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, with twelve US states arguing the combination unlawfully concentrates the film and cable markets. The judge must rule before the deal closes on 22 July; Paramount argues streaming and independent studios have expanded competition beyond the traditional big five. If the injunction holds, two of Hollywood's five studios stay separate - and the content distributors they're squeezing just got breathing room. If it doesn't, cable operators and streamers face a supplier with control over 50 channels and explicit leverage to raise licensing fees.