Bernie Sanders Says Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery Merger 'Not Acceptable' After Elizabeth Warren Renews Calls To Block It
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Saturday announced his opposition to the merger between Paramount Skydance Corp. (NASDAQ:PSKY) and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD).
Sanders Says Paramount, Warner Bros Merger ‘Not Acceptable'
Sanders said that the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger would put President Donald Trump's ally, David Ellison, in a position to direct both CBS and CNN.
Sanders' pushback comes as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has also warned that dealmaking in the sector can create leverage over newsrooms and user information, arguing that foreign access to personal data is a core risk if outside capital gains a near-controlling stake in a major U.S. media company.
In his post, Sanders wrote that wealthy interests are extending their influence from business and politics into news distribution, and he called the prospect of Ellison controlling both outlets unacceptable. Sanders framed the moment as a test of whether policymakers will resist concentrated power in mass media.
"Not content to controlling our economy and our political system, the Oligarchs are now consolidating control over the media," he said.
Oligarchs Target Media: A Dangerous Trend
The shared concern in both lawmakers' warnings is trust: who controls major networks can shape what audiences see and how confidently they can rely on it. Warren's objections to a separate proposed combination centered on the idea that ownership structure can translate into influence over coverage.
Warren pointed specifically to sovereign wealth funds tied to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, questioning whether they should sit close to a near-majority position in a leading U.S. media business. She also argued the arrangement could create both access to personal data and pressure points over American media, and she urged regulators to block that merger.
Sanders' message zeroed in on domestic consolidation and the political connections he attributes to Ellison. Warren's critique adds a second axis: even when the corporate logic is framed as scale, the financing and shareholding mix can raise security and privacy alarms.
Can Regulators Stop This Media Consolidation?
The Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger has drawn scrutiny over its potential knock-on effects. Discussions about approval have been continuing, with the Department of Justice's staff attorneys described as receptive to Paramount's argument that the transaction would not harm rival studios or creative talent.
That regulatory posture matters for Sanders' call, because both debates turn on whether government agencies treat media concentration as a special case or as another corporate combination. Sanders is asking for an outright political effort to stop a deal he says would concentrate editorial power across major brands.
Warren has also linked consolidation to what viewers can watch, warning in May 2026 that series such as "Severance" could vanish if one studio gains too much control in Hollywood. Her point was that fewer decision-makers can mean fewer greenlights for riskier projects.
She previously criticized the Trump administration's role in approving an $8 billion merger of Paramount Global and Skydance in September 2025, and called for an investigation into what she suggested might have involved a big fat bribe. That earlier episode is part of why she has kept pressing on how media deals get approved and who benefits.
Foreign Influence: A Threat To Data Privacy
Warren's latest warning put user data at the center of the merger debate, arguing that ownership can translate into access to sensitive information about Americans.
She also described the same structure as a pathway to influence, saying it could hand outsiders leverage over U.S. media.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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