By John Q. Hosedrinker 
When asked about Netflix potentially acquiring Warner Bros., Trump acknowledged Netflix’s substantial market share, implying it would be a critical factor in the decision-making process. Trump indicated he would be involved in the final decision regarding the potential merger. Separately, Paramount CEO David Ellison discussed Paramount’s bid, remaining cautious about Trump’s views on Ellison’s potential ownership of CNN, a network Trump has criticized. According to reports, conversations between Ellison and Trump have included discussion about personnel changes at CNN.
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Trump Sure Seems to Be Behind Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros.
It’s pretty clear that Trump is involved in Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros. Why? Because it all boils down to CNN. The proposed Netflix deal would have put CNN under a privately held company, spun off from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). This new company would have started its transition from legacy cable to digital streaming, effectively escaping the pressure from shareholders and the political interference that Trump would love to impose.
Trump has always hated CNN. He tried to torpedo the Warner Bros. and AT&T merger years ago specifically because of his disdain for the network. He wants CNN controlled, and ideally, completely leashed by him or one of his allies. And let’s not forget Jared Kushner’s involvement, which is, of course, a telltale sign. While there’s a general aversion to a Netflix victory, the real fear is Paramount winning.
This whole situation has a lot of people feeling tired and cynical. The prospect of the country becoming a “burning pile of garbage” in the next few years is, of course, a concern. A President getting involved in non-government business decisions? How very Republican, right? It seems extreme government oversight and regulation is what the Republican party is all about these days. No one wants a free market, it seems. And the Paramount bid also involves Jared Kushner and entities from Arab countries. This is what you would expect.
Trump will no doubt “weigh in” on the different bids. It does look like the Ellisons, Trump, and Kushner are all focused on CNN. The legacy TV infrastructure still has a large amount of influence, especially with a less informed general public. It’s almost as if this whole charade is a naked power grab, an attempt to leverage executive power for personal gain. This guy? A communications mastermind and a bumbling fool all rolled into one.
The real key here is control. It’s not just about money, it’s about power and influence. Trump is always going to use his power to get what he wants. The end game is likely CNN, or more specifically, the entire legacy media infrastructure. This is why it seems like Trump is pushing for the Paramount deal. The fear is that the Netflix deal would have allowed CNN to operate more freely, something Trump will not allow. The idea is to dictate what happens, not just with government businesses, but non-government ones as well.
It seems like there’s a strong belief that Kushner is the puppet of the Saudis. The focus is on controlling the narrative, ensuring that media outlets like CNN toe the line. Trump will use whatever regulatory tools he has to make sure it happens. The desire is likely to eliminate competition and fully control CNN. It seems this is less about business and more about using political power for personal gain. It seems as if the deal could involve a lot of power consolidation.
Netflix only wants the movie production studio and the HBO Max/HBO side of the business. The TV side is being spun off into a separate company, which will control all the TV stations like CNN, Discovery, and HGTV. Paramount wants it all. It’s no surprise that Trump would want to manipulate things to make sure Kushner wins. This has a lot to do with CNN and the legacy TV infrastructure.
The Warner Bros. and AT&T merger got the most scrutiny, with Trump wanting CNN to be spun off and bought by a third party. His hatred for CNN hasn’t diminished. The more that CNN swings right, the more it will hasten its own demise. Trump sees himself as a kind of authoritarian figure. He demands all media be subservient to him, and CNN doesn’t just repeat his talking points. The fear is that Trump wants to make sure CNN is fully controlled and subservient to his wishes. Dying businesses should die.