topic Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros in Community Chat

Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

willowbark — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:40:44 GMT

spits out coffee

Netflix to buy Warner Bros and HBO Max in $82.7 billion deal.

What will happen to our streaming subscriptions?

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

songbird — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:05:39 GMT

Netflix is a monster..... The only streaming worth buying....Soon it will be the only one. Obviously it's going up and up in cost for getting it.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

ajsidney12 — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:46:39 GMT

I am stunned this is occuring, where are the government watchdogs that review this stuff. These companies are creating monopolies and as stated above, definitely will be increasing their fees as they are absorbed. Like the Paramount merger earlier this year, the whole process lately to protect consumers stinks like dirty laundry.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

I am still oxox — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:57:11 GMT

Interesting since we do not pay for either directly Netflix come with our TMoibile phone contract and HBO is part of our Fios deal

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

willowbark — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:58:30 GMT

Back in the day it was referred to as bust the trust.

It shall be interesting..

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

They CallMe MRWILKES — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:08:58 GMT

This is not a "done" deal. The Boards of Directors of each company have approved it, but it has not yet gone through regulatory approvals.

Plus, shareholders must also approve. As a holder of WBD, I will vote YES!

Completion isn't expected until 3rd Quarter 2026.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

stevieb — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:12:02 GMT

Several large media conglomerates were vying for the same 'prize' and it appears Netflix won out... More's the pity... Subscribers be ready...

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

geezerette — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:28:15 GMT

Don't be surprised if there are more mergers in the future.

Many of these streaming companies are struggling on their own. Their great idea of doing their own thing has turned out to be harder and less profitable than what they thought it would be.

Analysts have said more streaming services will be gobbled up until there are just a handful (if that) of streaming companies. So it will be just like what you used to have with linear television but you'll be getting it over the internet.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

They CallMe MRWILKES — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:59:31 GMT

How many cell phone providers are there? Few

How many fully integrated oil exploration/producers/refiners are there? Few

How many large "Too Big to Fail" financial conglomerates are there? Few

Where are Paine Webber and EF Hutton and Irving Trust

How many legacy commercial airlines are there? Few

Where are Northwest, Continental and USAir?

Consolidation within an industry is absolutely nothing new. We're just seeing it with a different type of business.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

tansy — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:00:24 GMT

@They CallMe MRWILKES wrote:
How many cell phone providers are there? Few

How many fully integrated oil exploration/producers/refiners are there? Few

How many large "Too Big to Fail" financial conglomerates are there? Few
Where are Paine Webber and EF Hutton and Irving Trust

How many legacy commercial airlines are there? Few
Where are Northwest, Continental and USAir?

Consolidation within an industry is absolutely nothing new. We're just seeing it with a different type of business.

And we all pay the cost.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

beckyb1012 — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:21:30 GMT

A billion is a billion when that kind of money is involved but The Wall Street Journal is reporting the sale at $72 billion. Maybe Netflix had a coupon. I read it was supposed to be bad news for CNN.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

Bookplate — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:44:18 GMT

Unfortunately, the majority of our representatives in government have shown little to no interest in slowing down the hyper-consolidation of media, whatever the format.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

geezerette — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:50:35 GMT

@Bookplate wrote:
Unfortunately, the majority of our representatives in government have shown little to no interest in slowing down the hyper-consolidation of media, whatever the format.

While I don't at all like the consolidation of our media (soon three of our four local news stations will be owned by the same company), often the alternative to mergers or takeovers is a failing company going out of business.

Then their assets are just grabbed up a fire sale prices anyway.🤷‍♀️

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

They CallMe MRWILKES — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:12:57 GMT

Two pieces to the complicated transaction:

First, WBD spins off most cable services like CNN and Discovery into a separate company, worth much, much less.

After that, Netflix will purchase the highly valuable remaining assets, Warners movie and television studios and libraries and HBO.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

songbird — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:56:47 GMT

HBO is part of our cable, do I do get their progamming. I don't have Netflix. Waiting to see what offers they are gong to do.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

mrshckynut — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 22:34:15 GMT

@willowbark wrote:
spits out coffee

Netflix to buy Warner Bros and HBO Max in $82.7 billion deal.

What will happen to our streaming subscriptions?

@willowbark depends on which ones you have subscriptions

mrshckynut

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

shoekitty — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:03:41 GMT

deregulation has its plusses and negatives. Negatives seem to be, less choices and higher costs. We pay for mergers, the consumer. The corporate and shareholders reap the rewards. Only a few things to do..become the CEO, .buy stock, become a shareholder, or just bite bullet .

seems like so much has been eaten up. I am finding fewer choices, higher prices...but most of all I miss good customer service and pride in the product. Today we have two choices, like it or lump it, lol. Oh, well I'm too old to worry about it. .

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

Snowpuppy — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 16:19:09 GMT

@They CallMe MRWILKES X is readying an expansion of Starlink into cell phone service. I don't have Starlink but I live very rural and people say it's far superior to Dish.

I also owned WBD earlier this year, took the $ and ran.😉

I rarely watch tv. I have 0 streaming services.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

San Antonio Gal — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 18:04:40 GMT

@I am still oxox wrote:
Interesting since we do not pay for either directly Netflix come with our TMoibile phone contract and HBO is part of our Fios deal

@I am still oxox - I'm also enjoying free Netflix with my T Mobile plan. I've had T Mobile for the past 15 years at least.

Re: Merger between Netflix and Warner Bros

gardenman — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:07:40 GMT

Then their assets are just grabbed up a fire sale prices anyway."

Yeah. If your company is thriving, there's no reason to let someone else take it over. Most of the mergers come when one company is in trouble and needs a lifeline. Sometimes, both companies are in trouble and need help, and think combining into one can help.

The entertainment industry is in all kinds of chaos now. Younger viewers watch more TikTok, YouTube, X, Instagram, Twitch, etc. than conventional TV. (Some of us older viewers, too.) Since that's where the viewers are, that's where the advertisers are going. There's not a lot of "must-watch TV" these days. Live sports still draw an audience, but the cost to acquire rights to air live sports has gotten insane. These are challenging times in the entertainment industry. I'm not sure acquiring $70+ billion in new debt is the ideal path forward, but Netflix disagrees. We'll see if they're right.

TV exists to sell advertising. (So do magazines, newspapers, and more.) If the advertisers aren't paying you, you need other revenue streams. Subscriptions are one revenue stream, but people are getting tired of paying for subscriptions. And if you're losing advertising revenue, you have to up the subscription prices, which drives away more subscribers.

The entertainment industry is in a death spiral, and I'm not sure anyone knows how to pull it out of the spiral before it crashes. Advertisers are moving more to social media. Subscribers are tiring of paying ever-increasing subscription fees. Revenue streams are disappearing. These next few years will be interesting to watch.