This Mysterious “Astroturf” Group Popped Up to Defend the Paramount Merger
In text messages, the newly formed group boosted reported threats by CEO David Ellison to move Paramount out of California. The post This Mysterious “Astroturf” Group Popped Up to Defend the Paramount Merger appeared first on The Intercept .
A newly formed nonprofit organization, Neighbors for Strong Communities, has emerged to support the controversial merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery. The group has been sending text messages urging Californians to pressure Democratic state Attorney General Rob Bonta to oppose the merger, which Bonta has sued to block in court.
This latest escalation in the ongoing battle between Bonta and Paramount CEO David Ellison, who has threatened to relocate his company to Texas or Tennessee if the merger is blocked, has drawn criticism from free-speech advocates who accuse Neighbors for Strong Communities of being an "astroturf" front group. The lack of transparency surrounding the group's donors has led to accusations that it is a corporate-backed campaign designed to manufacture the appearance of grassroots opposition.
Warner Bros. Discovery denies funding the text message campaign, while Neighbors for Strong Communities has declined to reveal its donors. The group's creation and activities have sparked a heated debate within Hollywood unions and among industry professionals, with some expressing concerns about the potential impact on jobs and the future of entertainment coverage.
Written by urgent.news from The Intercept's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
