Byron Allen Submits $30B Offer to Buy Paramount Glabal

[Nick]

Offer is $14.3B for the company as I’d + another $16B or so to clear debt.

 

[TheUniC6]

I also believe Skydance is in the running to acquire Paramount.

 

[Nick]

I also believe Skydance is in the running to acquire Paramount.

If we're being honest, with the IPs they hold, I wouldn't be surprised to see Comcast join in here. It was also rumored that WBD had interest in Paramount.

 

[Viator]

Comcast has the money that they can try to do it. The question is--should they do it.

The FTC has adapted since Fox, and I think they'd be more wanting to shoot something like another mega-consolidation down considering they're still wounded from failing to block Microsoft/Activision.

 

[Nick]

Comcast has the money that they can try to do it. The question is--should they do it.

The FTC has adapted since Fox, and I think they'd be more wanting to shoot something like another mega-consolidation down considering they're still wounded from failing to block Microsoft/Activision.

They can try to block, but if they couldn't block Activision/Microsoft, i'm honestly not sure what they really will be able to in the movie space. This isn't like video games where you only have really two major competitors. Comcast can eat up most of Paramount (there would be parts they couldn't legally own like CBS for example) and they still have WBD, Disney/Fox, Sony, Apple, Netflix, Amazon/MGM, and even all as major companies who they'd be competing with either theatrically or in the streaming marketplace.

I think they could get away with it if they really wanted it. Now what would I prefer to see happen? I'd love to see either Skydance or Byron Allen win out here because then Paramount essentially stays the course as it's own thing (and as a main focus) without too many layoffs, which would be a big win in a world of big companies buying up other big companies. Paramount looks like they are angling to sell sometime this year (I believe I heard they want to sell before tax day, too) so let's just hope for the best outcome.

 

[rageofthegods]

To help finance, Allen is allegedly planning to sell the film studio, real estate and "some IP" if the offer goes through. Tbh sounds kinda rough for Paramount should this go through.

 

[Viator]

To help finance, Allen is allegedly planning to sell the film studio, real estate and "some IP" if the offer goes through. Tbh sounds kinda rough for Paramount should this go through.

Dumb question but that means Paramount Pictures would be sold off?

 

[rageofthegods]

Presumably yes. It sounds like Allen would keep the linear channels, CBS and Paramount+ as well as some (but not all) of the IP associated with those channels. The rest gets sold. Similar to when Fox sold off their film studios and TV assets besides Fox network and News, though it sounds like Allen would keep a lot more.

 

[Nick]

Presumably yes. It sounds like Allen would keep the linear channels, CBS and Paramount+ as well as some (but not all) of the IP associated with those channels. The rest gets sold. Similar to when Fox sold off their film studios and TV assets besides Fox network and News, though it sounds like Allen would keep a lot more.

Who's going to want to buy the studio if they aren't getting the associated IP though?

 

[rageofthegods]

Who's going to want to buy the studio if they aren't getting the associated IP though?

Byron Allen isn't in the same business as Comcast or Disney, he wants stable, strong cable revenue even if it's a melting ice cube, and he doesn't really seem to care about the ancillary stuff. He might sell something like Mission Impossible, which is a big film franchise and possible ancillary revenue driver that doesn't really affect CBS or the cable assets, but keep something like Drag Race or Star Trek, which still drives viewership on the streamer/cable platforms.