What is the status of the Warner Bros Discovery acquisition?

According to veteran lawyer Ken Ziffren, the future ownership of Warner Bros Discovery remains uncertain as of October 2025, with the company potentially being acquired by Paramount, Skydance, or Comcast.

What concerns does Ziffren have about the Hollywood guilds' health plans?

Ziffren revealed that one of the three major guilds - the WGA, DGA, or SAG-AFTRA - has only a six-month reserve for its heavily subscribed health plan. To keep these plans solvent, Ziffren believes guild members will have to make sacrifices and give up some of their current perks in exchange for a significant cash injection from the studios.

Why does Ziffren want an investigation into Nielsen's practices?

The veteran lawyer argued that Nielsen's measurement framework does not accurately reflect reality and is costing production companies through suppressed ad revenue and subscriber fee hikes. He believes alternative providers like VideoAmp may provide more reliable data and that Nielsen's alleged monopolistic practices should be investigated.

Home / Business and Economy / Veteran Lawyer Warns of Looming Battles Over Warner Bros Discovery and Guild Health Plans

Veteran Lawyer Warns of Looming Battles Over Warner Bros Discovery and Guild Health Plans

31 Oct

•

Summary

Pending acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery by Paramount, Skydance, or Comcast
Concerns over the precarious state of Hollywood guilds' health plans
Calls for investigation into Nielsen's alleged monopolistic practices

Veteran Lawyer Warns of Looming Battles Over Warner Bros Discovery and Guild Health Plans

According to veteran entertainment lawyer Ken Ziffren, the future ownership of Warner Bros Discovery remains uncertain as of October 31, 2025. Ziffren hinted that the company could be acquired by Paramount, Skydance, or even Comcast, though the final outcome is still unknown.

Beyond the Warner Bros Discovery saga, Ziffren also expressed concerns about the precarious state of the Hollywood guilds' health plans. He revealed that one of the three major guilds - the WGA, DGA, or SAG-AFTRA - has only a six-month reserve for its heavily subscribed health plan. To keep these "Cadillac" plans solvent, Ziffren believes guild members will have to make sacrifices and give up some of their current perks in exchange for a significant cash injection from the studios.