英国竞争与市场管理局已批准Paramount对Warner Bros. Discovery的收购交易，认定该并购不会导致竞争实质性减少[1]。这笔交易金额为81亿美元，包括债务后总值近1110亿美元[1]。英国数字、文化、媒体和体育部基于Paramount提供的法律约束性承诺，也同意不对该交易进行干预[1]。
根据Paramount的承诺，该公司将维持Channel 5的独立性，并使其与CBS和CNN完全分开运营[1]。此外，Paramount还承诺不在英国将直播频道与点播服务进行合并[1]。这些措施旨在保护英国广播和点播服务的多样性与编辑独立性[1]。
尽管在英国获得批准，但该交易在美国仍面临重大法律障碍。以加州为首的美国12个州正在法院对该交易进行诉讼，法院已安排为期12天的反垄断审判于3月初开始[1]。相比之下，欧盟、中国、加拿大和澳大利亚等地已先后批准了这笔交易[1]。
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority has approved Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, determining that the transaction will not result in a substantial reduction of competition [1]. The UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also decided not to intervene in the deal, based on legally binding commitments offered by Paramount regarding diversity and editorial independence of UK broadcasting and on-demand services [1]. The transaction, valued at $81 billion in equity with a total enterprise value nearing $110 billion or exceeding £82 billion when including debt, has now secured regulatory clearance across multiple jurisdictions [1].
As part of its UK approval, Paramount has committed to maintaining the independence of Channel 5, keeping it entirely separate from CBS and CNN, and has pledged not to merge its live broadcast channels with on-demand services in Britain [1]. These undertakings addressed competition concerns that had initially prompted consideration of intervention by British authorities [1].
Despite approval in the UK and clearance from the European Union, China, Canada, and Australia, the acquisition continues to face legal challenges in the United States [1]. Twelve American states, led by California, have filed lawsuits opposing the deal, with a 12-day antitrust trial scheduled to begin in early March [1].