Warner Bros. Discovery could merge with Paramount Global and make entertainment worse for everyone (again)

In a fitting way to conclude a terrible year for the entertainment industries, we've learned that Warner Bros. Discovery could potentially merge with Paramount Global.Axios shared the scoop right before the Christmas break, outlining what Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav (arguably one of the most-hated rich guys on the planet right now) and Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish might have discussed. The resulting Frankenstein'd media behemoth could boost Paramount's franchises thanks to WBD's "international distribution footprint" and pack yet another streaming service that combined Warner Bros. and Paramount's offerings.Of course, this is all just the start of talks that will probably continue well into 2024, regardless of the final outcome. It's also important to note that "WBD's market value was around $29 billion as of Wednesday, while Paramount's was just over $10 billion." This means the merger would not be as straightforward as one might think. The combination would take us further into the uncharted territory of abhorrent industry consolidation. Read more