NIGERIAN MILITARY JET CRASHES IN NIGER. (PHOTO).
Hollywood’s corporate battle is heating up as Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix submit bids to acquire all or part of Warner Bros. Discovery, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the media world. The move comes as WBD, home to Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max, seeks to maximize shareholder value amid a challenging environment for traditional media companies. The company had previously indicated it might pursue a split separating its streaming and studio assets from its cable networks, but a takeover bid could potentially offer even greater returns.
Paramount is aiming for the full company, including cable channels such as CNN and TBS, while Netflix and Comcast are targeting only WBD’s streaming and studio divisions. Paramount would need to raise funds to support its offer, having previously submitted a cash and stock bid of $23.50 per share, below WBD board expectations of near $30. Comcast would similarly rely on debt financing, while Netflix, valued at $449 billion, faces no such financial hurdles. Regulators could scrutinize the deals, particularly over potential studio consolidation, but precedent from previous media mergers suggests obstacles may be manageable. WBD’s board is expected to decide by year’s end whether to accept a bid or continue with its planned split, leaving the future of one of Hollywood’s largest media empires in the balance.
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