Nithya Raman Vows Fight Against Paramount Merger

Los Angeles city councilmember Nithya Raman has reiterated her opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, labeling it a "bad deal" for entertainment industry workers. She expressed her full support for California Attorney General Rob Bonta's antitrust lawsuit against the acquisition.

Raman cited a recent county report indicating that the merger could result in the loss of approximately 4,500 film and television jobs in Los Angeles, with a wider impact of over 10,000 jobs region-wide and billions in economic activity. She urged AG Bonta to proceed with the lawsuit, with a trial slated for March 2027.

The mayoral candidate criticized Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison's recent ultimatum: settle the lawsuit by October 1 or face escalating fees. Raman characterized this as an attempt to "strong-arm" the state, asserting that the merger's legality should be resolved through judicial proceedings rather than corporate threats.

These statements followed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's call for a settlement between Bonta and Paramount. Bass advocated for commitments to retain Paramount's operations in Los Angeles and increase local production. The Writers Guild of America, also suing to block the merger, expressed disappointment with Bass's stance, which they believe aids Paramount's efforts to push through a potentially harmful deal.