RELEASE: Rep. Friedman Statement on Legal Scrutiny of $110 Billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, July 13, 2026, U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30) addressed California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s decision to bring the proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance before the courts.

The action follows a May 7 letter Friedman led, joined by 34 California Members of Congress, thanking Bonta for his commitment to a “full and robust review” of the merger and urging him to independently analyze its effects and use his best judgment amid the Trump Administration’s politicization of antitrust enforcement.

“A merger this size, in an industry that has already lost thousands of California jobs to consolidation, deserves a full examination on the merits, not a rubber stamp from a federal administration we cannot trust to act in the best interests of American workers and consumers. As I have said at every step, this deal should be closely examined according to the law and its effects on Americans,” said Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30).

CALIFORNIA’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY CRISIS:

• On-location production in the greater Los Angeles area declined 13.2% for the July through September 2025 period compared to the year prior.
• More than 42,000 jobs in Los Angeles County’s motion picture industry were lost from 2022 to 2024.
• Paramount is projecting $6 billion in expense cuts over three years if the merger proceeds, with analysts predicting significant job losses.
• Decades of entertainment industry consolidation have already reduced output, raised prices, limited consumer choices, and stifled innovation.

Friedman is Hollywood's representative in Congress and has been among the most active voices calling for careful examination of the merger to defend California's entertainment industry. Friedman is working on a bipartisan national film tax credit to help keep entertainment jobs from leaving for other countries.

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