Twelve Attorneys General Move to Challenge the Ellison Family's Corrupt Takeover of the Free Press

Open Markets Institute today applauds the 12 state attorneys general suing to block the Ellison family’s illegal, anti-democratic efforts to take over Warner Bros. Discovery properties and fold them into their Paramount-Skydance media empire.  
 
Barry Lynn, Executive Director of the Open Markets Institute, issued the following statement: 

“This is about far more than independent theaters and Hollywood consolidation. It's about one family's attempt to build a corporate media empire in the service of their own political and economic power at the expense of the American free press – the backbone of our democracy. The Ellisons already hold an extraordinary grid of influence across the modern political economy of news, entertainment, and information through their holdings in tech, social media, and news media.

This is also about whether the press serves as a check against the threat of autocratic power in our government and economy, or allows itself to become subservient to that power – which in this case is President Trump. 

Today twelve American heroes demonstrated how to fight to protect these freedoms, at a time when they are under greater threat than at any moment in American history since the Civil War.  

This marks one of the most important enforcement actions ever taken by states attorney’s general, and the urgent execution of the states' constitutional role as a democratic backstop. They are stepping in to enforce the law as federal enforcement is consumed by allegations of corruption, political quid pro quos, and efforts to bend the free press to the will of the president and his political allies.  

It forms part of a larger effort to protect our democracy and our economy. Over the last 18 months, states attorneys general have served as the main line of defense against the Trump Administration’s efforts to corrupt enforcement of antitrust law, and to concentrate power in the hands of friends, in exchange for various forms of quid pro quo favors. Every American, no matter their political affiliation, should applaud the courage of these fighters. We look forward to seeing attorneys general from other states join this incredibly important action.” 

 The Open Markets Institute has helped to lead opposition to this merger both in the United States and in Europe. This includes hosting California AG Rob Bonta at this conference in Washington on June 24. It also includes this submission to the European Commission and this letter to the Commission, as well as a separate submission to the Competition Markets Authority in London. Recently, UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy indicated she plans to ask both the CMA and the communications regulator Ofcom to investigate threats to media plurality and competition.