FCC Approves Foreign Ownership for Paramount-warner Merger

WHO:

Deadline - Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are the companies involved in the merger.

WHAT:

Variety - The Federal Communications Commission approved that 49.5% of Paramount's equity can be held by foreign entities once the Warner Bros. Discovery deal is complete.

Variety - Paramount owns 28 TV stations, requiring FCC approval for foreign ownership exceeding 25%.

Deadline - The FCC approved Paramount's proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Deadline - The total foreign ownership of the combined company would be 49.5%.

Deadline - Of the total foreign ownership, 38.5% would come from investment funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.

WHERE:

Deadline - The merger involves companies based in the United States.

WHEN:

Deadline - The FCC's review of the foreign ownership stake has been completed.

WHY:

Deadline - Paramount petitioned the FCC to approve the foreign ownership for the merger.

HOW:

Deadline - The FCC conducted a review of the foreign ownership stake as part of the merger approval process.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 23:58 UTC)

The Federal Communications Commission has approved that 49.5% of Paramount's equity can be held by foreign entities, contingent upon the completion of the Warner Bros. Discovery deal. This decision is significant as Paramount currently owns 28 TV stations, which means any foreign ownership exceeding 25% requires FCC approval. The move marks a notable shift in the regulatory landscape for media ownership.

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(UPDATED September 17, 2026 23:00 UTC)

The FCC has approved Paramount's proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, allowing the combined company to have a total foreign ownership of 49.5%. Of that, 38.5% will come from investment funds based in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. This merger involves companies based in the United States and follows Paramount's petition to the FCC to secure approval for the foreign ownership stake.