WBD Shareholders Approve Paramount Merger
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- Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted to approve Paramount's acquisition of the company at a special meeting on Thursday morning, April 23 2026.
- David Ellison sent an internal memo to Paramount employees celebrating the vote, thanking staff and citing recent successes like Scream 7, Landman, and CBS sports.
- Integration Management Office led by Tony Driscoll, is coordinating the merger transition with WBD counterparts to ensure a smooth day‑one integration.
- Regulators must still approve the deal; analysts expect a smooth US review but note possible hurdles abroad or from state attorneys general.
- Hollywood stars and a coalition of over 4,000 signatories have publicly opposed the merger, warning it could further concentrate media ownership and reduce opportunities for creators.
- Paramount+ and Pluto TV presented 2026 streaming goals and viewership data at a town hall, aiming to merge with HBO Max to compete directly with Netflix.
- CBS currently holds 13 of the top 20 primetime series (excluding sports) and strong sports viewership, highlighted as a strength in the merger rationale.
Why it matters: The approval advances Paramount Skydance’s plan to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery, giving its leadership and shareholders a path to a unified streaming platform that can rival Netflix, while more than 4,000 creators and antitrust watchdogs confront a larger, more concentrated media empire.
