Statement on Paramount and AG Bonta Selling Out Hollywood

On Monday, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the 12 states who sued to block the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger on antitrust grounds had agreed to a settlement with Paramount CEO David Ellison. The terms of the deal, which rest on behavioral remedies, violate the many commitments Bonta made and deal a seismic blow to industry workers and freedom of speech.

“Now that I’ve heard the details of the agreement Attorney General Bonta has made with the Ellisons, I am sickened by how he has sold people in the entertainment industry, as well as consumers of our creative work, down the river,” said Jane Fonda, founder of the Committee for the First Amendment. ”The terms of this settlement at this moment in our nation’s history will be extraordinarily damaging. The so-called “independence board” supposed to guarantee editorial independence at CNN and CBS will be appointed by Paramount’s corporate board—meaning it isn’t independent at all. On top of that, the settlement has a “Force Majeure” clause stating that all its terms are void if there is a strike, labor disruptions, or an economic recession—meaning this settlement is also a union-buster. I’m glad Ted isn’t here to witness the destruction of his unique and important creation.”

The Committee for the First Amendment and partners will convene for a movement rally outside Paramount Studios at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles tomorrow to bring the coalition together and talk about what comes next in the fight for independent media and a fortified First Amendment.

##