Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Saturday announced his opposition to the merger between Paramount Skydance Corp. (NASDAQ:PSKY) and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD).
Sanders Says Paramount, Warner Bros Merger ‘Not Acceptable'
Sanders said that the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger would put President Donald Trump's ally, David Ellison, in a position to direct both CBS and CNN.
Sanders' pushback comes as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has also warned that dealmaking in the sector can create leverage over newsrooms and user information, arguing that foreign access to personal data is a core risk if outside capital gains a near-controlling stake in a major U.S. media company.
In his post, Sanders wrote that wealthy interests are extending their influence from business and politics into news distribution, and he called the prospect of Ellison controlling both outlets unacceptable. Sanders framed the moment as a test of whether policymakers will resist concentrated power in mass media.
