GREECE PERSPECTIVE

Athens, July 22, 2026. The Greek press, through To Vima and ProtoThema, is detailing a decision made on Monday by a federal judge in Oakland, California, temporarily suspending the acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) by its competitor Paramount Skydance, a deal valued at $110 billion, including debt. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, ordered the transaction to be put on hold for 14 days, until a new hearing scheduled for August 3, where the possibility of a longer injunction will be examined until a final decision is made on the matter.

This decision follows a complaint filed on July 13 by California and 11 other states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. According to To Vima, prosecutors argue that the merger of the two groups would create a player capable of influencing prices and restricting competition in the film and television markets. In her order, the judge states that the plaintiff states "have presented solid evidence that the transaction would significantly weaken competition," and that an effective merger would cause "irreversible harm," which would be "difficult, if not impossible to undo" once the two companies are integrated, their employees laid off or redeployed, and their sensitive information exchanged.

ProtoThema quotes the reaction of Rob Bonta, who describes the decision as "a crucial first victory in our case, ensuring that this massive merger does not become a reality." Paramount has not yet made any official comment. To Vima also highlights the competitive context: Paramount had presented its offer as the most likely to be validated by regulators, compared to that of Netflix, which had abandoned its own attempt to acquire WBD in February, leaving the field open to its rival. The decision remains provisional but already constitutes, according to the two Greek outlets, a significant blow to Paramount Skydance's schedule.