UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is minded to intervene in Paramount-Skydance's proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, citing media plurality with a one-week response deadline. Ofcom will join the CMA review despite US DOJ approval, and the deal remains on track to close in Q3 2026.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has formally notified Paramount-Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery that she is minded to intervene in their $110 billion merger on public interest grounds, particularly media plurality. The companies have one week to submit their responses before a final decision is made.
If intervention proceeds, Ofcom will conduct a public interest assessment alongside the Competition and Markets Authority’s ongoing competition review. Both regulators will evaluate ownership concentration and diversity of news sources in the UK media landscape.
The US Department of Justice has approved the transaction, and Paramount-Skydance maintains its schedule to close the deal in Q3 2026. Failure to secure UK approval by the deadline could trigger quarter-by-quarter cost increases under the merger agreement.
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