DOMINANT ANGLE
Moscow is tallying the bill and terms of the merger: share price, European remedies, and concessions wrested from Ellison, with CNN as a point of friction.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Paramount Skydance has closed the acquisition of WBD for $110 billion, at $31.02 per share; WBD's listing on the Nasdaq ceased on October 6 (Vedomosti).
- 02
The European Commission authorized the transaction on July 22, with Paramount divesting its stake in United International Pictures in the EEE within 13 months (Vedomosti).
- 03
The settlement with prosecutors provides for at least 30 films per year, 45 days of theatrical release before streaming, and a committee for the independence of CBS and CNN (Meduza).
ANALYSIS
Moscow, October 7, 2026. Russian media have treated the closing of the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) by Paramount Skydance as a financial and regulatory operation, announced on Tuesday, October 6.
Vedomosti, which cites the statement from Paramount relayed by Reuters, provides the figures: $110 billion, $31.02 per share for WBD shareholders, and the end of WBD's listing on the Nasdaq as of October 6. The newspaper describes the new group, Skydance, as a combination of two major studios, two global streaming services, television channels, and cable networks. It also adds two major news channels, CBS News and CNN, as well as a portfolio of sports rights.
The newspaper focuses on the European aspect. On July 22, the European Commission authorized the operation after the parties accepted restrictions in film distribution. Paramount is giving up its stake in United International Pictures, a joint venture with Universal, in the European Economic Area. The sale must take place within 13 months of the closing, and the group is prohibited from entering into any new distribution agreement with Universal in Europe for ten years. Vedomosti also recalls that, according to the Wall Street Journal, the US Department of Justice had approved the agreement before its lawyers could present their objections.
Meduza, a Russian-language title based abroad, emphasizes the opposition, which Vedomosti does not mention in the provided passage. According to the site, which cites Bloomberg, the group will also have to repay $80 billion in Warner Bros. debt. David Ellison won out over Netflix thanks to a higher offer and personal guarantees from his father, Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle. In July, Paramount Skydance had agreed to freeze the operation in the face of prosecutors from 12 states, the writers' union, and hundreds of film professionals, who feared price increases and job cuts.
The settlement provides for at least 30 films per year and 45 days of theatrical release before arrival on platforms. A special committee is to ensure the editorial independence of CBS and CNN. Meduza recalls that last December, Ellison had promised Donald Trump to "radically change" CNN in the event of a takeover.
The two texts thus read the event in terms of price, debt, remedies imposed by Brussels, and commitments made to prosecutors. The geopolitical angle or that of the weight of American catalogs abroad does not appear in the provided articles.
