Paramount settles with US states in step towards merger with Warner Bros

Ellison-led Paramount will avoid daily $7m fee if the $110bn Warner Bros merger closes by September 30.Published On 21 Sep 202621 Sep 2026Paramount Skydance has reached a settlement with California and 11 other states that sued to block the $110bn merger with Warner Bros Discovery, both Reuters and Bloomberg News have reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.The settlement, reported on Monday, will include independent editorial boards to oversee CNN and CBS amid concerns that political pressure could sway coverage. The lawsuits were brought by a coalition of 12 state attorneys general.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Twelve US states sue Paramount to block Warner Bros mergerlist 2 of 4US judge orders pause on Paramount–Warner Bros mergerlist 3 of 4Paramount Skydance mulls CNN sale amid antitrust merger challengelist 4 of 4Paramount CEO may remove operations from California over stalled mergerend of listBut free speech advocates are not convinced that will be helpful.“An independent editorial board for CNN and CBS is a weak half-measure. The fish rots from the head, and this particular fish is headed by a compromised oligarch with a history of throwing journali...