Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming and Benedict Wong Urge U.K. Government to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger in Op-Ed: ‘It Threatens to Inflict Immense Harm’ - Variety

What the report says

Variety reported that actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming and Benedict Wong are calling on the U.K. government to intervene against the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. In an op-ed published in The Guardian and addressed to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, the three argued that the deal would damage the British public interest and could have major consequences for U.K. film, television and media.

According to Variety, the actors warned that consolidation could lead to job losses, shelved productions, fewer commissioned films and less creative risk-taking. They acknowledged that competition issues are primarily for the Competition and Markets Authority, which is also reviewing the transaction, but said Nandy’s role is to assess the public-interest implications. Their concerns also focused on news and archives: Paramount owns Channel 5 and CBS, while Warner Bros. Discovery owns CNN and CNN International, raising questions about media ownership concentration.

Variety said Nandy has already indicated she is “minded to intervene,” though Parliament is in recess until Sept. 1. The merger is one of several major media issues on her desk, alongside Sky’s proposed acquisition of ITV and the BBC’s royal charter renewal. The article also noted political context: Nandy remained culture secretary after a reshuffle by incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

The proposed merger has drawn scrutiny beyond the U.K. Variety reported that the European Commission approved it last week with conditions, while in the United States it faces opposition from multiple sources. Paramount has agreed to delay the merger until after an antitrust trial.