So, it will be Larry Ellison, not the Saudis, who will be putting up the additional $40 billion to win the hostile takeover of WBDiscovery over Netflix.
And he’s going to allow investors some greater visibility into the Ellison family trust.
As someone who respected the way Americans once took antitrust mechanisms and actions deeply seriously, this doesn’t give much comfort.
Well, here’s another angle — Business Insider reports “Paramount won’t say whether Middle East money is funding its WBD deal”.
There is also this from David Ellison via The Hollywood Reporter:
“By uniting our iconic studios complimentary streaming platforms with a global footprint, our cable and linear networks, and our world-class IP, we have the opportunity to help shape the future and build a next generation media and entertainment company. This has been our goal since day one,” Ellison said Monday. “This is not about consolidation, it’s about reinventing the business. We want to expand our reach and enhance our ability to create the world’s most compelling stories and experiences. And we’re incredibly excited about this transaction, and it will accelerate that ambition.”
That’s a whole lot of words to say “I want control of what CNN says along with all the other media companies I’m buying.”
Not sure. It’s his father Larry that is concerned about the news media.
It seems that David Ellison wants to control the entertainment industry and is willing to sacrifice every and any scruple he may have to get that, letting the news media be captured by whatever agenda in order to get what he wants.
Also, this way David is indisputably the victor in the succession competition that Larry set up between his offspring.
David Ellison seems to genuinely love movies - I had high-ish hopes back when he was initially looking to buy Paramount for that reason.
Unfortunately, he also seems to be willing to trample over anyone and their grandmother in order to make those movies.
Gotdamn, he’s one ugly mofo.
Man looks like he’s best friends with John McAfee.
He’s one of those 80 year old moguls that wants to live forever and look like a 20 year old but is too rich for anyone to tell him he is in the uncanny valley.
Say what you will about Richard Branson but at least the man isn’t ashamed to look in the mirror.
California can still block the deal but I agree it does not look good right now.
At some point I think we will just have to accept that these old guard institutions are dinosaurs that will eventually die because they cannot adapt to the times. The supply of conservative media is already outstripping demand. And unless we get a genuine taxpayer funded fascist media people just aren’t going to watch.
