WBD and Paramount may have an easier time winning regulatory approval than Netflix

[ad_1] The Paramount logo is displayed above an entrance to Paramount Studios on Feb. 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images A day after Paramount Skydance emerged as the winner to take over fellow media giant Warner Bros. Discovery, questions are mounting about the companies’ regulatory path forward. The WBD board … Read more

David Ellison has a rocky history at the box office. Buying Warner Bros. could fix that

[ad_1] Chairman & CEO Paramount David Ellison attends the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jeff Bottari | Ufc | Getty Images If there’s one thing that Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison knows well, it’s an impossible mission. Ellison, producer of five of the “Mission: Impossible” films, … Read more

Mike Santoli: Can an old bull learn new tricks?

[ad_1] Can an aging bull learn some new tricks to continue pleasing its owners? Already a third of the way through its fourth year, the bull market in 2026 is trying to draw on fresh reserves of support that differ markedly from the ones that got the advance started and kept it rolling. Each core … Read more

NBCUniversal strategically leans into sports as it prepares for ‘Legendary February’

[ad_1] A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman, which brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. NBC is about to have itself a “legendary” month. “Legendary February,” a marketing tagline … Read more

Free streaming service Tubi is rivaling major players for viewership. Here’s how it’s winning

[ad_1] Thomas Fuller | Lightrocket | Getty Images Tubi hit profitability this year doing what other streaming services are trying to: attract younger audiences who are willing to sit through ads. The Fox Corp.-owned free streaming platform has long been among a sort of second tier of streaming services alongside lower-budget and less popular offerings … Read more

Wall Street banked on a flurry of deals under Trump in 2025. It wasn’t that simple

[ad_1] The Wall Street Bull statue covered in snow on Nov. 15, 2018. Erik Mcgregor | Lightrocket | Getty Images Wall Street expected U.S. mergers and acquisitions to roar back in 2025. The reality was something closer to fits and starts. Following the re-election of President Donald Trump more than a year ago, executives and … Read more

What’s ahead for media in 2026? Anonymous executives make bold predictions

[ad_1] CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav and CEO of Paramount Skydance, David Ellison. Mike Blake | Brendan McDermid | Reuters It’s time for everyone’s favorite holiday tradition — CNBC’s annual anonymous media executive predictions! CNBC spoke with 16 of the most powerful and influential executives in U.S. media, sports and entertainment, … Read more

The regulatory path ahead for a Netflix and Warner Bros. deal could get dicey

[ad_1] Logos of Netlfix and Warner Bros. Reuters The Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery deal came together quickly — but its path to regulatory approval may not be so speedy. Netflix stunned the media industry on Friday when it announced its proposed $72 billion deal to acquire the iconic Warner Bros. film studio and streaming … Read more

Netflix’s plan to buy Warner Bros. throws the theater industry into upheaval

[ad_1] A man walks past movie posters at at AMC Theater in Montebello, California on May 5, 2025. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Movie theater operators woke up Friday to the possibility of a new world order. Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a deal for the streaming giant to acquire WBD’s … Read more

Broadcast station owners want to consolidate. They’re struggling to get deals to the finish line

[ad_1] The Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. headquarters are seen July 17, 2024 in Cockeysville, Maryland. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images The broadcast television industry knows it needs to consolidate. It’s just struggling with how to do it. In August, Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of broadcast stations in the U.S., announced a proposed $6.2 … Read more