ARTICLE 19 joined Open Markets Institute and a coalition of civil society organisations, journalists, and professionals working in the film and television industries in urging the European Commission and the European media regulatory board to reject Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that it poses significant risks to media pluralism and consumer choice.
Writing to Teresa Ribera, the Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition of the European Commission, and the European Board for Media Services, the coalition argues that the merger will grant Paramount Skydance dominance over the European creative industries and cultural environment. In the letter, we express our concern that the merger could have a significant impact on media pluralism with effects on the formation of public opinion, and diversity of media services.
The letter urges the European Commission to protect European media, film, and television and reject the merger, and furthermore, calls on the European Board for Media Services (EBMS) to issue an opinion under the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) as well as launch an investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) given the significant financing from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Read the letter