{
  "id": 3764112,
  "title": "Block the Merger Coalition Urges State AGs to Reject ‘Empty Concessions’ From Paramount",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/block-the-merger-coalition-urges-state-ags-to-reject-empty",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-27T15:13:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/block-the-merger-coalition-reject-empty-concessions-paramount-petition/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Block the Merger Coalition has launched a petition urging 12 state attorneys general to reject what they call \"empty concessions\" from Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery in their ongoing legal battle. The petition argues that financial analysts predict the merger cannot survive trial and that Paramount may be forced to settle or lose Warner Bros. The coalition claims that merger concessions are unenforceable, frequently abandoned, and often pit impacted parties against one another. They stress that accepting these conditions in a backroom rather than fighting in court is a losing proposition. The coalition warns that the deal will destroy competition and diversity in the creative sector and calls on state AGs to take their case to trial, with the trial set for March 2027. In the meantime, WBD shareholders will pay Ellison a 25 cent per share fee starting October 1, which amounts to a payout of $650 million per quarter or $7 million per day until the merger is closed. If the deal doesn't close due to regulatory issues, Ellison must also pay $7 billion in a break-up fee. The coalition's latest move comes as Iowa and Montana attorneys general filed a motion with the Supreme Court to block the \"politicized\" antitrust lawsuit, arguing that it deprives their states' economies of the deal's benefits and harms thousands of employees and viewers.",
  "summary": "A new petition warns that accepting unenforceable conditions is a \"losing proposition\" and that they need to \"hold strong\" with their lawsuit to block the $110 billion deal The post Block the Merger Coalition Urges State AGs to Reject ‘Empty Concessions’ From Paramount appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}