Paramount links merger antitrust case to subscriber lawsuit

Paramount has agreed to combine two legal cases against its planned merger with Warner Bros. The $111 billion deal has faced challenges from two sides. Twelve US states filed an antitrust case, arguing the merger is bad for competition. Separately, Paramount+ subscribers sued in April, claiming the deal would reduce competition and push up prices for streaming customers. A federal judge, Judge Martinez-Olguin, will now oversee both cases together. Combining the cases means the states and consumers will fight the merger as one group. The court has scheduled a hearing on whether to temporarily block the merger and on Paramount's request to dismiss the subscriber lawsuit.