1 week ago
Ruffalo and Einbinder Challenge Paramount-Warner Bros Merger
Mark Ruffalo wants the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery companies to stay separate.
The proposed deal would be worth $111 billion.
He worries that one family and a few companies could gain too much control over movies, television and news.
He also discussed Oracle technology contracts involving Israel because Oracle was founded by Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount executive David Ellison.
Paramount said Ruffalo’s use of words such as “genocide” and “apartheid” was antisemitic and inappropriate.
Ruffalo said he was criticizing governments, business deals and executives, not Jewish people.
Actress Hannah Einbinder said the accusation against him was unreasonable.
Critics also fear job losses, less competition and weaker editorial independence.
US states are separately challenging the merger on antitrust grounds.
Mark Ruffalo opposes the proposed $111 billion Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros Discovery merger, citing corporate concentration, job losses and editorial independence.
Ruffalo linked the deal to Oracle’s technology contracts with Israel through Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, Oracle’s founder.
Paramount Skydance accused Ruffalo of invoking antisemitic tropes by using terms including “genocide” and “apartheid” in a corporate dispute.
Ruffalo rejected the accusation, saying he was criticizing Israeli government policies, military technology contracts and corporate executives—not Jewish people.
Hannah Einbinder defended Ruffalo, while the merger also faces legal and regulatory scrutiny, including an antitrust challenge by US states.
- Who
- Actor Mark Ruffalo, actress Hannah Einbinder, Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros Discovery, and executives connected with Oracle.
- What
- A dispute over criticism of the proposed $111 billion Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros Discovery merger and allegations of antisemitism.
- Where
- In the United States’ media and corporate sectors, with the dispute also involving Israel-related technology contracts.
- When
- During the public debate and legal and regulatory review of the proposed merger; Einbinder commented on Monday, according to the article.
- Why
- Ruffalo says the merger could concentrate media power, cause job losses, reduce competition and threaten editorial independence, while also raising concerns about technology and political influence linked to the Ellison family.
Ruffalo, Einbinder and Merger Critics
Paramount Skydance
Media concentration
Ruffalo, Einbinder and Merger Critics
Ruffalo and Einbinder argue that the merger would give a small number of corporate interests, and potentially one family, enormous control over major media companies and could threaten editorial independence.
Paramount Skydance
Paramount Skydance has defended its position by challenging Ruffalo’s characterization of the deal and objecting to his language in the corporate dispute.
Antisemitism allegation
Ruffalo, Einbinder and Merger Critics
Ruffalo says criticism of Israeli government policies, military technology contracts and executives involved in those businesses is not criticism of Jewish people. Einbinder called Paramount’s accusation ludicrous.
Paramount Skydance
Paramount Skydance said references to “genocide” and “apartheid” in a business dispute invoked antisemitic tropes and risked diminishing the suffering associated with those terms.
Israel-related technology concerns
Ruffalo, Einbinder and Merger Critics
Ruffalo and Einbinder say Oracle’s technology ties to Israel are relevant because of the Ellison family’s connection to Paramount Skydance and the proposed media acquisition.
Paramount Skydance
Paramount’s stated objection focused on the framing of those references as antisemitic and inappropriate in the context of a corporate transaction.
Key facts
- Proposed deal value
- $111 billion
- Companies involved
- Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery
- Ruffalo’s concerns
- Corporate concentration, job losses, reduced competition, national-security issues, and editorial and creative independence
- Oracle connection
- David Ellison, Paramount Skydance’s CEO, is the son of Larry Ellison, who founded Oracle
- Technology issue
- The articles say Oracle has provided technology to the Israeli military and other Israeli government agencies
- Paramount’s response
- A Paramount spokesperson called Ruffalo’s remarks antisemitic and “a bridge too far”
- Regulatory challenge
- A group of US states is seeking to block the transaction on antitrust grounds
- Support for Ruffalo
- Hannah Einbinder called the antisemitism allegation “ludicrous”; Paramount had not responded to her remarks
Quotes
Paramount spokesperson
Representative of Paramount Skydance
“I’m so grateful that Mark Ruffalo drew a connection between the Ellisons providing military technology to Israel during a genocide and their unprecedented media takeover–and pointed out that this is a dangerous consolidation of power that could ultimately be used against us.”
telegraphindia.com
“The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people.”
telegraphindia.com
theprint.in
Sources
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