Senate Democrats Call for FCC to Halt Paramount-warner Merger Due to Foreign Investment Fears

WHO:

Fox Business - Democratic Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the FCC to pause the merger.

Fox Business - Paramount is led by CEO David Ellison.

WHAT:

Fox Business - The senators demanded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pause the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.

Fox Business - The merger is valued at $110 billion.

NY Post - The senators requested a pause until July 1 for a review of foreign ownership concerns.

Fox Business - Paramount acknowledged that foreign ownership in the new corporation will rise to "approximately 49.5 percent."

Fox Business - The Department of Justice concluded that the transaction is not likely to harm competition or American consumers.

WHERE:

Fox Business - The merger would consolidate CNN and CBS News under one corporate owner in the United States.

WHEN:

NY Post - The senators set a deadline of July 1 for the FCC to notify Paramount that the deal cannot close until the foreign investment review is completed.

WHY:

Fox Business - The senators expressed concerns about national security threats posed by foreign government investment in the media company.

Fox Business - The senators argued that the FCC should not take the Ellison family's statements about national security "at face value."

Fox Business - More than 5,000 filmmakers and actors signed an open letter opposing the merger, citing concerns about stifled competition and reduced job opportunities.

HOW:

Fox Business - The senators sent a joint letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding a review of the foreign investors involved in the merger.

Fox Business - Under Section 310 of the 1934 Communications Act, foreign individuals, companies, and governments are generally prohibited from owning more than 25% of a U.S.-based firm with an FCC-issued broadcast license.

(UPDATED June 20, 2026 23:22 UTC)

Democratic Senators Cory Booker, Adam Schiff, and Elizabeth Warren are urging the FCC to pause the $110 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, citing national security concerns related to foreign ownership, which is expected to rise to approximately 49.5 percent in the new corporation. They have requested that the FCC notify Paramount by July 1 that the deal cannot close until a review of foreign investment is completed, emphasizing that over 5,000 filmmakers and actors have signed an open letter opposing the merger due to fears of stifled competition and job losses. The senators sent a joint letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, highlighting that under Section 310 of the 1934 Communications Act, foreign entities are typically restricted from owning more than 25 percent of a U.S.-based firm with an FCC-issued broadcast license.