Paramount Expected To Easily Secure EU Nod For Warner Bros Deal, Sources Say

Paramount Skydance, is expected to easily gain European Union antitrust approval to buy Warner Bros Discovery, opens new tab while divestments, if required to address regulatory concerns, will likely be minor, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday.

Unlike Netflix's aborted bid, Paramount's offer faces fewer regulatory hurdles because a combined Paramount and Warner Bros has a market share of below 20% in all markets across Europe, the people said. They spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter.

European Commission antitrust regulators usually take a tough line when market share is 30% or more. Paramount has yet to formally seek EU approval, but is providing information on its businesses.

The deal would also require approval under the EU's foreign subsidies regulation because Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Abu Dhabi's L'imad Holding Company and the Qatar Investment Authority are also bankrolling the bid. The FSR targets unfair foreign state aid.

Paramount declined to comment. The Commission said the deal has not been formally notified to the watchdog and declined further comment.

PARAMOUNT OPEN TO DIVESTING MINOR CHANNELS

While Paramount hopes to secure unconditional EU approval, the company is willing to divest minor channels such as its children's brands if required, the people said. Overlapping businesses include the combination of two studios and several TV channels.

Paramount has Nickelodeon while Warner Bros owns the Cartoon Network.

Paramount will likely seek formal EU approval in the coming months, the people said, which will then kick off a 25-working-day preliminary review, which can be extended by 10 working days if remedies are offered at the end of the 25 days.

California may be the biggest obstacle to the deal. Regulatory approvals from the U.S. and UK are also key deal requirements.

Paramount has been on the charm offensive in Europe since January, with CEO David Ellison meeting French President Emmanuel Macron that month while Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim met the European Commission's top merger official Guillaume Loriot that same week, the people said.

Delrahim is well-acquainted with Loriot from his previous stint as assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust division.

European Parliament lawmaker Andreas Schwab, who has criticised Netflix's bid and led the negotiations in several pieces of tech legislation in recent years and also met Delrahim last month, said a Paramount bid poses fewer issues.

"I think Paramount is something we could accept. It is a concentration in the production of films. There is no risk of a digital champion taking over the video streaming market," he said.

Warner Bros. Discovery Declares New Paramount Bid A ‘Superior Proposal’; Netflix Has Four Business Days To Match

The board of Warner Bros. Discovery said Thursday it has determined that the latest offer from Paramount Skydance is a “superior proposal” to its existing merger pact with Netflix. The move sets off a four-day clock for Netflix to make a counteroffer to the nearly $83 billion deal that it reached with WBD in early December.

Netflix has four business days, or Wednesday, March 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET, to come up with a new proposal to salvage the deal.

In a statement Thursday, WBD said, “Following the conclusion of this period, if the Board determines in good faith, after consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, that, after considering any revisions to the terms of the Netflix merger agreement proposed by Netflix, the PSKY proposal continues to constitute a ‘company superior proposal,’ WBD would be entitled to terminate the Netflix merger agreement.”

As it stands, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Netflix agreement remains in effect, and the WBD board says it is continuing to recommend in favor of that deal, which is up for a vote on March 20. 

Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison issued a statement Thursday in response to WBD’s announcement, saying: “We are pleased WBD’s Board has unanimously affirmed the superior value of our offer, which delivers to WBD shareholders superior value, certainty and speed to closing.”

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is believed to be in Washington, D.C. today in an effort to lobby Trump administration officials on the deal. Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics. The Justice Department has embarked on a regulatory review that promises to probe all aspects of Netflix’s business, exposing the streaming giant to more scrutiny in D.C. that it has ever faced before.

In its statement, Warner Bros. listed the elements of the revised Paramount Skydance bid that turned the tables:

• Increased the purchase price to $31 a share in cash; 

• Accelerated timing of the daily “ticking fee” of $0.25 per quarter to begin after September 30, 2026, until the consummation of the Paramount transaction, rather than starting in January.

• Increased the regulatory breakup fee to $7 billion in the event the transaction does not close due to regulatory matters;

• Reaffirmed it will pay the $2.8 billion termination fee which WBD would be required to pay to Netflix to terminate its existing Netflix merger agreement,

• Reaffirmed it will eliminate WBD’s potential $1.5 billion financing cost associated with its debt exchange offer,

• Agreed to an obligation to contribute additional equity funding to the extent needed to support the solvency certificate required by PSKY’s lending banks, and 

• Agreed to a “Company Material Adverse Effect” definition that means the price won’t be dropped if WBD’s linear networks decline faster than expected before the deal closes.

The Netflix deal, which includes buying Warner Bros. and HBO Max, is valued at nearly $83 billion. Paramount’s latest bid was a $108 billion all-cash offer for the entirety of WBD, including its linear cable channels. With the addition of $1 to the per-share price to reach $31 per share, the Paramount proposal submitted Feb. 24 amounts to approximately a $111 billion bid, including the $33 billion in debt that WBD is currently shouldering on its books.

Blue Bloods Returns To eSeries With Season 4

Starting 3 March at 17:00

Blue Bloods Season 4 follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City, who each bring unique perspectives to the challenges of their work. At the heart of the series is Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck, the New York Police Commissioner and the family patriarch. Frank's oldest son, Danny, a seasoned detective and Iraq War veteran, often uses unconventional tactics to solve cases, creating tension in a family bound by duty but divided into methods. His daughter Erin is an assistant district attorney and the only woman among the Reagan siblings, tasked with balancing her legal career with the family's values. Jamie, the youngest, and a Harvard Law graduate, gave up a lucrative career in law to follow in the family's footsteps, even joining a covert investigation unbeknownst to his father. Season 4 delves into more complex cases and introduces new ethical dilemmas that test the Reagans’ family bonds. As new threats arise, each member is forced to confront personal values against their professional responsibilities. The show balances drama, action, and moral questioning, making Blue Bloods a compelling exploration of loyalty, justice, and family tradition.

Cartoon Network’s New Series Goat Girl Celebrates Finding Your Herd This March Across Africa

• Goat Girl is co-directed by Lauri Saunders and Matthieu Giner, who balance the show’s character-driven comedy with themes of resilience and self-belief.

• The voice cast includes Rebecca Hanssen as Gigi, alongside Belinda Stewart‑Wilson, Steven Kynman, Sebastian Charles, Shannon Hayes, Mitchell Zhangazha, Jessie May, Brigid Leahy, Brigid Leahy, Arun Blair-Mangat and Marisa Dargahi.

• Produced by Daily Madness, MIAM! Animation, and Thuristar. In coproduction with KiKA and VRT-Ketnet. With the participation of Warner Bros. Discovery Kids & Family EMEA. Made in association with RTÉ.

• The series is animated in expressive 2D with a bold visual style that highlights Gigi’s quirky nature.

Season 1 consists of 26 x 11’ episodes set in a world where the grass is always greener… and sometimes eaten.

This March, Cartoon Network introduces Goat Girl, a coming‑of‑age comedy about a girl who approaches life with quiet determination, a lot of heart, and just the right amount of goat‑like stubbornness.

 

A Story About Standing Out, Even When You’re Trying to Fit In

At the centre of the series is Gigi, a 13‑year‑old girl raised by mountain goats. Now stepping into the world of humans for the first time, she faces a challenge far bigger than any cliff face: navigating school, friendships, and the everyday uncertainties of growing up.

 

The show follows her as she learns to balance her unusual upbringing with the realities of tween life, first tests, first zits, shifting friendships, all while discovering that her “goatiness” may be more of a strength than she realises. As co‑creator Shannon George explains, “She’s stubborn, and she’s strong, and she’s wild… and that really comes to the fore when her goaty instincts kick in.” It’s a description that deepens our understanding of how Gigi’s instincts shape her journey.

 

A Celebration of Being Yourself

Goat Girl is ultimately a story about belonging, not by changing who you are, but by embracing it. Gigi’s journey mirrors the experiences of many tweens as they figure out where they fit and what makes them unique. Co‑creator Kristina Yee reflects on this idea, noting, “There’s so much joy in being yourself and embracing yourself fully, and being unafraid to show other people who you are… be confident, be your coolest goaty self.” It’s a reminder that sits at the centre of Gigi’s story.

 

A World Full of Warmth, Humour and Heart

Gigi’s instincts, climbing anything in sight, bleating when she’s excited, or fainting like her goat‑dad Billy, bring a gentle, character‑driven humour to the series. But beneath the comedy is a story about resilience, kindness, and finding your place in a world that doesn’t always make sense.

 

Find your herd this March when Goat Girl premieres on Cartoon Network Africa (DStv Channel 301) on Monday, 09 March 2026 @ 17:00.

Warner Bros. Discovery Warming Up To Paramount Deal

Paramount has upped its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery to $31 a share, above its previous offer of $30 per share.

Warner Bros. Discovery said the board has not yet made a determination as to whether the offer is superior to Netflix’s but says it could “reasonably be expected” to lead to a “company superior proposal.” Netflix has offered $27.75 per share for the company’s streaming and film assets alone, in a deal valued at $82.7 billion.

The revised proposal from Paramount not only includes the increased purchase price of $31.00 per WBD share in cash, but also a daily ticking fee payable to shareholders equal to $0.25 per quarter beginning after Sept. 30, 2026, as well as a $7 billion regulatory termination in the event the transaction does not close due to regulatory matters. Paramount has also agreed to pay the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros. would be required to pay to Netflix to terminate the existing merger agreement.

The ticking fee schedule was originally slated to start Dec. 31, and the $7 billion fee is also being raised from the $5.8 billion fee that the company proposed. The new timing for the ticking fee and the higher termination fee is meant to underscore Paramount’s confidence that it can get the deal through the regulatory process, and to put pressure on Netflix.

The companies, however, are still talking, which suggests that Paramount’s latest offer may not be its “best and final.” WBD had said that it wants to get to that point in order to remove any doubt over Paramount’s willingness to raise, and Netflix’s ability to match.

If the Warner Bros. board determines that Paramount’s offer is a “Company Superior Proposal,” Netflix will have four business days to negotiate with WBD and to propose any revisions to its bid.

Paramount has been launching hostile takeover bid directly with shareholders in its effort to undo the previously agreed $82.7 billion Netflix deal. That deal was first unveiled in December and amended into an all-cash bid in late January. Warner Bros. board members had given Paramount a deadline of early this week for a revised best and final bid. Paramount’s offer encompasses all of Warner Bros., which means it would also be taking on linear cable networks such as CNN, TBS, HGTV and TNT.

WBD has set a March 20 date for shareholders to vote on the Netflix deal, meaning that the clock is ticking to come to a conclusion one way or another.

Earlier this morning, Warner Bros. had said its board, along with financial and legal advisors were reviewing Paramount’s latest new offer, but did not reveal exact details of the bid. Paramount had also confirmed the bid but was mum on details.

Afrikaans Voice Actors For Landman [Video]