Former FTC Commissioner wants to stop the Paramount-Warner merger

Former FTC Commissioner wants to stop the Paramount-Warner merger

June 12, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

Kim Masters interviews former FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya about his objections to the Paramount-Warner merger and its implications for the media landscape.

This week, Kim Masters talks to Alvaro Bedoya, a former FTC Commissioner, about why he objects to the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger. Bedoya says it will mean fewer jobs, higher subscription fees for consumers, and more censorship when the Ellison family - who own Paramount Skydance - control both CBS News and CNN. Bedoya also addresses a surprising accusation from Paramount’s Chief Counsel against some who oppose the merger.  [Editor’s note: this episode first aired before the Department of Justice announced on Friday afternoon that they would not challenge the Paramount-Warner merger.] Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni discuss the box office prospects for Steven Spielberg’s new movie Disclosure Day . Can the director, who popularized the summer blockbuster, still bring people out to the theaters ?      

People in this episode

Host: Kim Masters

Guest: Alvaro Bedoya

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Paramount, Warner Brothers, CBS News, CNN

Books & works: Disclosure Day

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