British culture minister Lisa Nandy said on Tuesday she is minded to intervene in Paramount Skydance Corp's proposed $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, citing questions about preserving media plurality for audiences in the United Kingdom.
In a written statement, Nandy said her department had written to both the current owners and the proposed new owners of Warner Bros. Discovery to notify them of her position. That step followed engagement with the parties involved in the transaction and independent research carried out by her department, she said.
Her assessment concentrated on how the deal could affect British viewers and listeners. The minister specifically referenced a range of services that could be affected, naming Channel 5, TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and CNN International. She also highlighted streaming services that form part of the combined group’s offering, including Paramount+ and HBO Max.
Nandy added that she is considering whether public interest rules should be broadened to better reflect the growing importance of on-demand viewing. That review, she said, would take into account current patterns of consumption and the role of streaming platforms in the media landscape.
The minister’s stated intention to intervene signals that the proposed transaction may face regulatory scrutiny in the UK and that further steps could be taken to assess and potentially mitigate effects on plurality. While the minister has set out the focus of her concerns, any formal intervention or remedies would follow from the statutory processes and assessments that apply in such cases.
Clear summary
Lisa Nandy has told the current and proposed owners of Warner Bros. Discovery she is minded to intervene in Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion takeover proposal, with her review focused on implications for UK audiences across both traditional broadcast channels and streaming platforms. She is also weighing whether to expand public interest rules to better capture the impact of on-demand services.
Key sectors affected
- Broadcast and cable television
- Streaming and on-demand video services
- Media and communications regulation