Senators turn up heat on Netflix over Warner Bros takeover

CALIFORNIA: Netflix’s push to swallow Warner Bros Discovery has landed in Washington’s crosshairs. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-ceo, faced pointed questioning from U.S. senators over the company’s proposed $82.7 bn acquisition, as antitrust alarms rang loudly across Capitol Hill.

At a Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing led by Mike Lee, Sarandos appeared alongside Bruce Campbell, Warner Bros Discovery’s chief strategy officer. The mood was sceptical. Lawmakers pressed on how a tie-up of two entertainment heavyweights could tilt the industry’s balance of power.

The Senate cannot block the merger, but the scrutiny was unmistakable. Lee warned the deal could thin job prospects for writers, actors and production crews, restrict rival platforms’ access to Warner’s crown-jewel franchises and give Netflix outsized control over what reaches cinema screens.

“Netflix seeks to become the one platform to rule them all,” Lee said.

The U.S. Department of Justice is now reviewing Netflix’s offer alongside a competing hostile bid from Paramount Skydance. Warner Bros Discovery is prized for its studios, deep content library and global franchises including Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and DC Comics icons such as Batman and Superman.

Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, argues its proposal would face fewer regulatory hurdles. Warner Bros Discovery has rebuffed those bids, which would leave Paramount carrying heavy debt. Larry Ellison, David Ellison’s father, has long-standing ties with Donald Trump.

Politics hovered over the proceedings. Cory Booker asked Sarandos about Trump’s potential role after Trump said he would be involved following the deal’s announcement. Sarandos replied he was unsure whether Trump had any involvement.

Netflix has defended its market position by citing Nielsen data showing YouTube attracts more U.S. TV viewing time than any streaming rival. Sarandos argued television is a “zero-sum game,” saying time spent on YouTube or HBO Max comes at Netflix’s expense.

Regulators, however, may look past broad viewing shares and zoom in on narrower markets such as subscription streaming, where concentration could bite harder. That lens could prove decisive.

For now, the battle lines are drawn. Big media wants scale; regulators want guardrails. As streaming’s wars shift from content to consolidation, the real drama may play out not on screen, but in courtrooms and committee rooms. In the fight for Hollywood’s future, the script is still being written.