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Netflix to Buy WB

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Saxsoon
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In reply to torrid • 11:09p, 12/5/25
AG
torrid said:
If the unions are against it, it must be a good thing.

Trump is against it too
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YouBet
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3:16a, 12/6/25
AG
WOOF. I hope Trumps "corruption" gets this killed post haste. Give me more "corruption" on this please.

Totally get the concern on the movie going business, but I'm personally way more concerned with Netflix owning HBO. That is a disaster.
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torrid
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In reply to Saxsoon • 11:42a, 12/6/25
AG
Saxsoon said:
torrid said:
If the unions are against it, it must be a good thing.

Trump is against it too

And he'll be for it once they start kissing his ass. Unions are a better barometer.
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TCTTS
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11:49a, 12/6/25
AG
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double aught
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1:27p, 12/6/25
AG
Can I go back to the beginning and ask why Warner Bros is for sale?
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schmendeler
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In reply to double aught • 1:32p, 12/6/25
AG
I think it's more that companies want to buy them.
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YouBet
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1:44p, 12/6/25
AG
Does HBO actually lose money? I can't imagine wanting to sell that unless WB is just really wanting to narrow their strategic scope which I also get.
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torrid
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In reply to double aught • 4:03p, 12/6/25
AG
double aught said:
Can I go back to the beginning and ask why Warner Bros is for sale?

I think it is the only way the studio can rid itself of the unwanted dying linear cable TV channels.
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TCTTS
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In reply to double aught • 4:21p, 12/6/25
AG
double aught said:
Can I go back to the beginning and ask why Warner Bros is for sale?


- Disney owns ABC
- Paramount owns CBS
- Universal owns NBC

Think of these as the three pillars of traditional entertainment media. And on a national level, a single company is generally banned from owning more than one of the "big four" major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC). Hence why these three companies likely won't merge, and why, when Disney bough 20th Century Fox, the Fox broadcast network was spun off as its own thing (alongside Fox News and Fox Sports), unowned by Disney.

In contrast, Warner Bros doesn't own a broadcast network (only CNN, TNT, TBS, etc), making them much easier to either be merged with or swallowed whole. Not to mention, out of the remaining major entertainment media companies who don't own broadcast networks (Sony, Lionsgate, etc), Warner Bros easily has the most coveted/valued properties by a wide margin. That said, whoever ends up owning them next will be their fourth owner in less than ten years…

- Time Inc (1990-2018)
- AT&T (2018-2022)
- Discovery (2022-2026)
- ??? (2026 to ???)

It's not that Warner Bros has been losing tons of money or has been in desperate need of help. It's just that in today's media landscape they're the prestigious, sought-after orphan who's always been passed from foster parent to foster parent, never able to find their "forever home." They're not one of the three traditional pillars, they tower above their peers (Sony, Lionsgate, etc), and for whatever reasons, over the past decade they just haven't found the right fit, merger/parent-wise.

This is where the big three tech giants come in.

If Disney, Paramount, and Universal are the big three traditional media companies…

- Amazon
- Apple
- Netflix

… are their big three streaming competitors, each one alone being worth more than Disney, Paramount, and Universal combined. And it was always a matter of time before one of these streamers tried to swallow up Warner Bros, further asserting their dominance, in their efforts to try and catch Google/YouTube, who remains the true king of the streaming landscape. Meanwhile, Paramount and Universal have been trying (and will likely continue trying) to buy Warner Bros as well, in order to better-compete with Big Tech/the streamers. Further complicating matters, Discovery has always been keenly aware of this, and ever since 2022 has basically been preparing Warner Bros for a sale, knowing there were much bigger fish out there who were ultimately going to come after it.

Granted, there's obviously a lot more nuance to it, and a lot more corporate/business **** that I simply don't understand, but the above is the big-picture reason, as best as I can grasp/explain it.
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TCTTS
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In reply to torrid • 4:25p, 12/6/25
AG
torrid said:
double aught said:
Can I go back to the beginning and ask why Warner Bros is for sale?

I think it is the only way the studio can rid itself of the unwanted dying linear cable TV channels.


That's not quite accurate. Had none of these companies come calling, Warner Bros had every intention (via public announcement) of spinning off the unwanted dying linear cable TV channels this coming spring. Also, Paramount's has offered to buy everything, including the unwanted dying liner cable channels, while Netflix's offer didn't include the unwanted dying liner cable channels, yet Netflix still "won" (for now).
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TCTTS
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In reply to TCTTS • 4:26p, 12/6/25
AG
This was also a not insignificant reason...

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double aught
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In reply to TCTTS • 4:40p, 12/6/25
AG
Thanks! Well written and interesting. That brings me to my next question. How did Discovery, which I think of as simply a mid tier cable network, come to buy Warner Bros?
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YouBet
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In reply to TCTTS • 5:01p, 12/6/25
AG
Helpful. Thanks.
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Cliff.Booth
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10:48a, 12/7/25
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Heineken-Ashi
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In reply to TCTTS • 9:24p, 12/7/25
TCTTS said:
double aught said:
Can I go back to the beginning and ask why Warner Bros is for sale?


- Disney owns ABC
- Paramount owns CBS
- Universal owns NBC

Think of these as the three pillars of traditional entertainment media. And on a national level, a single company is generally banned from owning more than one of the "big four" major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC). Hence why these three companies likely won't merge, and why, when Disney bough 20th Century Fox, the Fox broadcast network was spun off as its own thing (alongside Fox News and Fox Sports), unowned by Disney.

In contrast, Warner Bros doesn't own a broadcast network (only CNN, TNT, TBS, etc), making them much easier to either be merged with or swallowed whole. Not to mention, out of the remaining major entertainment media companies who don't own broadcast networks (Sony, Lionsgate, etc), Warner Bros easily has the most coveted/valued properties by a wide margin. That said, whoever ends up owning them next will be their fourth owner in less than ten years…

- Time Inc (1990-2018)
- AT&T (2018-2022)
- Discovery (2022-2026)
- ??? (2026 to ???)

It's not that Warner Bros has been losing tons of money or has been in desperate need of help. It's just that in today's media landscape they're the prestigious, sought-after orphan who's always been passed from foster parent to foster parent, never able to find their "forever home." They're not one of the three traditional pillars, they tower above their peers (Sony, Lionsgate, etc), and for whatever reasons, over the past decade they just haven't found the right fit, merger/parent-wise.

This is where the big three tech giants come in.

If Disney, Paramount, and Universal are the big three traditional media companies…

- Amazon
- Apple
- Netflix

… are their big three streaming competitors, each one alone being worth more than Disney, Paramount, and Universal combined. And it was always a matter of time before one of these streamers tried to swallow up Warner Bros, further asserting their dominance, in their efforts to try and catch Google/YouTube, who remains the true king of the streaming landscape. Meanwhile, Paramount and Universal have been trying (and will likely continue trying) to buy Warner Bros as well, in order to better-compete with Big Tech/the streamers. Further complicating matters, Discovery has always been keenly aware of this, and ever since 2022 has basically been preparing Warner Bros for a sale, knowing there were much bigger fish out there who were ultimately going to come after it.

Granted, there's obviously a lot more nuance to it, and a lot more corporate/business **** that I simply don't understand, but the above is the big-picture reason, as best as I can grasp/explain it.

Thank you for this write up. For those of us not in the industry, its nice to see it simplified so eloquently.
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DannyDuberstein
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9:26p, 12/7/25
AG
Netflix is the TJ Maxx/Ross of streaming/tv. There are a few good finds but a whole lot of crap. Hope this doesn't go thru.
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uujm
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10:12p, 12/7/25
I haven't received a single email from the DGA about this. While they may be publicly against it they haven't reached out to their members which is par for the course when releasing a public statement. Not sure about the WGA. The producers guild is nutless and has no power.
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One Eyed Reveille
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10:43p, 12/7/25
AG
I can understand Amazon and Apple being worth more than Universal, Paramount and Disney combined. But Netflix????
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Quad Dog
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In reply to torrid • 8:16a, 12/8/25
AG
torrid said:
Saxsoon said:
torrid said:
If the unions are against it, it must be a good thing.

Trump is against it too

And he'll be for it once they start kissing his ass. Unions are a better barometer.

Announcing the Netflix Peace Award winner Donald Trump.
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BCSWguru
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8:28a, 12/8/25
cant wait for gay batman. yay.
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schmendeler
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In reply to Quad Dog • 8:37a, 12/8/25
AG
Quad Dog said:
torrid said:
Saxsoon said:
torrid said:
If the unions are against it, it must be a good thing.

Trump is against it too

And he'll be for it once they start kissing his ass. Unions are a better barometer.

Announcing the Netflix Peace Award winner Donald Trump.


Ever escalating presents for the infant king!
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AggieOO
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8:38a, 12/8/25
and now entering the ring....Paramount!
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YouBet
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In reply to Quad Dog • 8:42a, 12/8/25
AG
Quad Dog said:
torrid said:
Saxsoon said:
torrid said:
If the unions are against it, it must be a good thing.

Trump is against it too

And he'll be for it once they start kissing his ass. Unions are a better barometer.

Announcing the Netflix Peace Award winner Donald Trump.


I would prefer if they gave him an award for being a Champion for Women and Gays.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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9:07a, 12/8/25
AG
Not so fast says Paramount.
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TCTTS
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9:09a, 12/8/25
AG

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cajunaggie08
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10:05a, 12/8/25
AG
I think the biggest reason Netflix wants a legacy studio like WB is all of the IP that comes with it. Most of us signed up for Netflix back when they were pretty much the lone streaming option of all shows and movies well past On-demand rental release dates. Then all the studios saw how much Netflix was making with their IP and they almost all took their ball home to create their own streaming apps. This happened to coincide with Netflix starting to produce their own content. I'm sure Netflix would love to have Friends along with a boat load of IP on an app they own plus a full fledged studio capable of making the content they have been paying other studios to produce. I get why hollywood is nervous, but I don't see this as the worst case of consolidation. Paramount buying them would be 2 equals becoming 1 whereas I think Netflix would keep most of WB as is.
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YouBet
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10:10a, 12/8/25
AG
This will be the most popular hostile takeover in history.
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superunknown
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11:49a, 12/8/25
AG
Jared Kushner is part of Paramount's bid so i assume Netflix is SOL on this one.
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torrid
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:09p, 12/8/25
AG
cajunaggie08 said:
I think the biggest reason Netflix wants a legacy studio like WB is all of the IP that comes with it. Most of us signed up for Netflix back when they were pretty much the lone streaming option of all shows and movies well past On-demand rental release dates. Then all the studios saw how much Netflix was making with their IP and they almost all took their ball home to create their own streaming apps. This happened to coincide with Netflix starting to produce their own content. I'm sure Netflix would love to have Friends along with a boat load of IP on an app they own plus a full fledged studio capable of making the content they have been paying other studios to produce. I get why hollywood is nervous, but I don't see this as the worst case of consolidation. Paramount buying them would be 2 equals becoming 1 whereas I think Netflix would keep most of WB as is.


Their early original content was great. But those shows ended, and everything else since has been crap.
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double aught
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In reply to torrid • 2:12p, 12/8/25
AG
Stranger Things is the best thing Netflix has done.
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TCTTS
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2:54p, 12/8/25
AG


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TCTTS
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3:04p, 12/8/25
AG
On the other hand, do we really want essentially one family owning all of this?



Quote:

So if paramount wins, Larry Ellison and his son will control TikTok, Warner bros studios, Paramount Pictures studio, CBS, CNN all of HBO and Paramount plus streaming library. They would also control almost every major cable channel. They would have distribution that is possibly even greater than Disney.

No wonder Netflix doesn't want them to have Warner bros.


Or is the point someone like Clay Travis is making worth that kind of consolidation? In addition to the fact that Paramount wouldn't kill the theatrical market like Netflix eventually would?

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schmendeler
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3:06p, 12/8/25
AG
Is fox news not enough for the zombies?
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TCTTS
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In reply to TCTTS • 3:09p, 12/8/25
AG
All I know is that this an industry-defining moment/decision that will have seismic ramifications for years to come.

Ultimately, I'm on the side of whatever it takes to keep the theatrical market alive, meaning I'm leaning Paramount. But I have to admit, after reading all the various deal notes and endless takes, I'm not quite as against the Netflix deal as I was a few days ago. I'm still against it, but there would at least be some positives to it that I hadn't considered prior.
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javajaws
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In reply to TCTTS • 3:16p, 12/8/25
AG
TCTTS said:
On the other hand, do we really want essentially one family owning all of this?

So pick your poison: less theaters, or less leftist content? That seems to be the choice here so far.

I'm ok with either one, although I admit Netflix is the suck for quality.

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