BY MIRABEL ODETA
Concerns over the future of Hollywood took center stage on Saturday as entertainment workers, business owners, labor advocates, and political figures gathered in Los Angeles to oppose Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The event, held at Lumiere Music Hall, marked the first stop of a three-city “Main Street vs. The Merger” campaign aimed at highlighting what critics describe as the growing dangers of media consolidation. Organizers say the deal could accelerate job losses, reduce opportunities for creative professionals, and further weaken an entertainment industry already facing significant economic challenges.
Among the featured speakers was stand-up comedian and television host Adam Conover, who warned attendees that the merger represents more than just a corporate transaction.
Speaking passionately to the crowd, Conover described the ongoing wave of consolidation in the media sector as a serious threat to an industry that has long played a central role in shaping American culture and influence around the world.
“This industry helped make the United States a cultural powerhouse,” Conover said. “What we are seeing now is a system under immense pressure, and many people fear that the creative ecosystem that built Hollywood is being steadily dismantled.”
Approximately 100 people attended the gathering, which was organized by advocacy groups, members of the Writers Guild of America, and entertainment industry workers concerned about the potential consequences of the merger. Participants argued that combining two of Hollywood’s largest media companies would reduce competition and concentrate even more power in the hands of a few major corporations.
Supporters of the deal, however, contend that the merger would strengthen both companies in an increasingly competitive global entertainment market. Paramount Skydance executives have maintained that the combined company would continue investing heavily in film and television production while creating new opportunities for audiences and creators.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Paramount said the merged entity would have strong incentives to expand the production of high-quality content and meet consumer demand. The company also argued that the transaction would increase consumer choice, generate new opportunities for workers and creators, and enhance competition within the broader entertainment landscape.
Despite those assurances, opposition to the merger continues to grow. Several U.S. states, including California and New York, are reportedly preparing legal action aimed at blocking the transaction. Critics believe regulators should scrutinize the deal more closely due to its potential impact on competition and employment across the entertainment sector.
For Conover, concerns about media consolidation are deeply personal. He pointed to the aftermath of AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner in 2018, which led to significant restructuring across the company. Conover’s television series, “Adam Ruins Everything,” was ultimately canceled during that period, resulting in the loss of jobs for employees, contractors, and numerous industry professionals connected to the production.
His experience reflects broader trends affecting Hollywood workers in recent years. Employment across the entertainment industry has struggled to recover after reaching a peak in late 2022. Rising production costs, declining traditional television advertising revenue, and slower growth in streaming subscriptions have forced many studios to cut spending and rethink their business strategies.
California, historically the center of the entertainment industry, has been particularly affected. Research from the Milken Institute found that the state lost more than 17,000 entertainment-related jobs between 2019 and 2023. The report attributed the decline to a combination of economic pressures that have encouraged studios to move productions to lower-cost locations both within and outside the United States.
Industry data further illustrates the challenges facing Hollywood. According to Film LA, the organization responsible for coordinating filming activities across the Los Angeles region, occupancy rates at Hollywood sound stages fell to just 62 percent during the first half of 2025. In contrast, studio facilities were operating at nearly full capacity less than a decade ago.
Meanwhile, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which represents approximately 170,000 behind-the-scenes workers, have reported significant declines in available work. The union has stated that its members worked roughly 36 percent fewer hours than they did in 2022, underscoring the difficult conditions facing crews across the industry.
Matt Radecki, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based post-production company Different by Design, expressed concern that the merger could further shrink the market for documentary filmmaking and other specialized content. He noted that acclaimed projects such as the Academy Award-winning documentary “Navalny” benefited from support provided by multiple Warner-affiliated divisions, including HBO Max and CNN Films.
Addressing attendees, Radecki warned that the closure of production units and media divisions across the industry has already reduced opportunities for filmmakers and creative professionals.
“The places we worked with have disappeared,” he said. “Many are gone permanently, and people are worried that more institutions could face the same fate if consolidation continues.”
Former Federal Trade Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya also spoke at the event, expressing optimism that state-level regulators could challenge the merger. He suggested that California Attorney General Rob Bonta may have legal grounds to argue that the deal would reduce competition among major film studios and negatively affect workers who rely on those companies for employment opportunities.
Legal experts note that antitrust challenges increasingly focus not only on consumer impacts but also on labor markets. Regulators have previously argued that mergers can harm workers by reducing the number of employers competing for specialized talent. One notable example was the successful effort to block Penguin Random House’s proposed acquisition of Simon & Schuster in 2022.
According to economists who study labor market competition, similar arguments could play a role in any challenge to the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery deal. Workers in highly specialized industries such as film, television, and digital media often have limited employment alternatives, making consolidation particularly significant.
University of Pennsylvania economist Ioana Marinescu explained that certain jobs within major entertainment companies may have few comparable substitutes elsewhere in the market. As a result, workers could face fewer career opportunities and reduced bargaining power if major employers combine.
“For some workers, positions at these companies are unique and highly desirable,” Marinescu said. “When there are fewer employers offering those opportunities, the impact can be substantial.”
As regulators continue reviewing the proposed merger, the debate highlights broader questions about the future of Hollywood, the balance between corporate growth and competition, and the long-term prospects for the thousands of workers who depend on the entertainment industry for their livelihoods. For many gathered in Los Angeles, the fight is not simply about one merger, but about preserving the diversity, creativity, and economic opportunities that have defined Hollywood for generations.
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