A tectonic shift may be underway in American media — and not everyone is pleased.
A potential merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery has sparked a wave of backlash from prominent Democrats and Hollywood institutions, most notably Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). At stake is not just another corporate acquisition, but the future of legacy news outlets like CNN, and the editorial and cultural direction of Hollywood itself.
“This is a terrible deal,” said Warren on November 15, warning that the merger would further consolidate media ownership and potentially turn a vast entertainment and news empire into a political weapon. The deal would unite two historic studios — Warner Bros. and Paramount — under the leadership of David Ellison, with backing from his father, Oracle co-founder and longtime Trump ally Larry Ellison.
That connection alone has triggered alarms throughout the entertainment industry and Washington alike. Insiders claim the Ellisons see CNN not merely as a business acquisition, but as a platform in need of ideological “realignment” — a network that could, under their ownership, shift from progressive orthodoxy toward something resembling neutrality, or even right-leaning editorial independence.
If Paramount Skydance merges with Warner Bros, one giant media conglomerate would control:
HBO
CNN
CBS News
Showtime
TBS
Comedy Central
TNT
Paramount+
TLC
HGTV
Nickelodeon
CBS Sports
Food Network
Discovery Channel
The CW Network
BET
MTV
VH1
& many more.It’s a terrible deal.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 15, 2025
One name being floated for this transformation? Bari Weiss, the former New York Times columnist who now serves as editor-in-chief at CBS News, which is already under the Ellison umbrella following Paramount’s earlier acquisition. If the merger goes through, Weiss is rumored to extend her editorial influence to CNN — a move that would mark a stunning departure from the network’s current trajectory.
But editorial control isn’t the only concern.
The Writers Guild of America, still fresh off a bruising labor battle, has condemned the merger in no uncertain terms, calling it a “disaster” for creative professionals, competition, and consumer choice. “Combining Warner Bros. with Paramount or another major studio or streamer would be a disaster for writers,” the Guild said, vowing to lobby regulators against it.
Still, despite the noise, legal experts say the Ellisons may face fewer roadblocks than expected. The Department of Justice and FCC are reportedly unlikely to stand in the way — FCC Chair Brendan Carr even suggested his agency might not review the merger at all. That has left critics fuming, especially as reports swirl that White House officials have spoken privately with Larry Ellison about CNN personnel decisions, including the potential firing of anchors Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar, both critics of Donald Trump.
The Guardian reported the discussions, citing a former DOJ official who said such contacts reveal “how the government relations game is played.” Neither the White House nor Ellison has confirmed the claims.
The deal’s cultural implications are just as consequential. Under Ellison’s leadership, Paramount has already undergone a seismic transformation. Executives have been replaced. Staff slashed. A more ideologically diverse — and politically open — atmosphere has been encouraged. Senior Breitbart writer John Nolte called the changes a “mini-Musk moment,” likening them to Elon Musk’s overhaul of X (formerly Twitter) — a comparison that could either excite or terrify, depending on one’s politics.
President Donald Trump has reportedly voiced support for the merger behind closed doors. A senior administration official told the New York Post, “Who owns Warner Bros. Discovery is very important to the administration.” With an election year looming and the media’s influence on public opinion in full focus, it’s not hard to see why.
