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Criterion Nitrile wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 4:05 pm

Finch wrote: Sat Jun 13, 2026 12:01 am Meanwhile, we've got to boycott any and all WB product and cancel HBO subscriptions on top of the Paramount ones. I'm still going to buy WAC discs though.

You mean no more Turner Classic Movies? Some of us still need our TCM fix once in a while.

I was convinced various television assets besides HBO were spun off (including TCM) amidst this. (Probably just the Mandela effect given Fox/20th Century and NBC/Universal)

Finch wrote: Sat Jun 13, 2026 12:01 am The merger has been approved by DOJ. Fingers crossed the state antitrust lawsuits are successful. Meanwhile, we've got to boycott any and all WB product and cancel HBO subscriptions on top of the Paramount ones.

Just as Warner Archives increases its output & finally starts releasing the titles people have been begging for.

Paramount's poor quality makes them a bit easier to boycott.

I wouldn't presume to tell people what they should do but subscription cancellations is the only language the Ellisons will understand. Screaming at the people who voted for Trump or stayed home in 2024 doesn't fix this.

Hopefully Imprint releases the complete Alfred Hitchcock Presents + Hour (remainder) on blu-ray soon, not that I would pay for Paramount+.

Criterion Nitrile wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 4:05 pm You mean no more Turner Classic Movies?

I'd truly and seriously rather die. I can boycott this up to a certain point—I don't and won't subscribe to Paramount+, I have taken CBS off my channel listings—but at a certain point you just have to throw up your hands and try to live the best life you can. The way my tax dollars are being used is much more harmful than the meager amount of dollars I throw at TCM and WAC to try to enjoy this life I'm stuck in.

Finch wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 6:04 pm I wouldn't presume to tell people what they should do but subscription cancellations is the only language the Ellisons will understand. Screaming at the people who voted for Trump or stayed home in 2024 doesn't fix this.

Disagree. Think these people are happy to lose money and destroy these media outlets they control rather than have them. Making money is not important to them.

Criterion Nitrile wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 4:05 pm You mean no more Turner Classic Movies? Some of us still need our TCM fix once in a while.

Yeah, TCM has definitely been reliable for me when it comes to showing a film that I'm on the fence for a blind buy.

One of thee few nice things about being in the SF Bay area is having the Stanford Theaatre. Double features of classic films on 35 mm for $7 in an Egyptian art deco theater with a balcony. A must visit for any TCM fans visiting the SF/SJ area,

It would be nice if TCM was spun off into the Criterion Channel.

"David Ellison Told Top Execs Paramount Will Exit California If AG Refuses To Negotiate On WBD Deal"
https://deadline.com/2026/08/david-elli ... 237031004/

This plane was spotted flying over Paramount today. Trade papers have already reported on it.

hearthesilence wrote: Thu Sep 03, 2026 11:41 pm This plane was spotted flying over Paramount today.

I think the names on that sign need to be swapped.

Very sceptical these independent editorial boards will make a difference. For fucks sake Rob Bonta.

A complete abomination. All they had to do to stop this thing was drag it out to next summer when Zazlov could kill the deal and get a massive payout from Paramount.

Literally not a single brave person in a position of power these days

Finch wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 4:21 pm Very sceptical these independent editorial boards will make a difference. For fucks sake Rob Bonta.

LA film industry deserves a lot of blame for this. They made it clear that they believed Ellison’s threats about leaving California and used every bit of weight they had to come out in favor of a settlement. Nolan’s DGA letter is just the most high profile example of this and it seems politicians in California got the message.

dwk wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 6:36 pm A complete abomination. All they had to do to stop this thing was drag it out to next summer when Zazlov could kill the deal and get a massive payout from Paramount.

The Ellisons are legitimately among the most evil family in the country. No surprise that spineless neoliberals like Bonta capitulated

Mark L. wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 7:18 pm Nolan’s DGA letter is just the most high profile example of this and it seems politicians in California got the message.

and who knows how much money under the table. I'm sure there were several dinners at The French Laundry involved to make the agreement.

From The Guardian article:

David Ellison, the CEO and owner of Paramount and son of billionaire tech mogul Larry Ellison, said on Monday that he was grateful to Bonta, other state attorney generals and California governor Gavin Newsom for “engaging in good faith to find a path forward to a resolution”, and reiterated his message that the merger would be “pro-competitive, pro-consumer and pro-worker”.

From The Free Press:

In August, California Governor Gavin Newsom indicated that he’d like Bonta to settle the case, despite growing public concern over the many harms such a deal would bring: widespread entertainment industry layoffs, spiraling consumer costs and increased censorship of news on CBS and CNN. Bonta reportedly was holding strong until a couple of days ago, when closed-door negotiations with Paramount ramped up.

Would love to know what Newsom's promise/bribe from the Ellisons was to pressure Bonta to change his mind. Most likely: "You get this thing approved & we'll replace Trump with you."

Mark L. wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 7:18 pm

Finch wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 4:21 pm Very sceptical these independent editorial boards will make a difference. For fucks sake Rob Bonta.

LA film industry deserves a lot of blame for this. They made it clear that they believed Ellison’s threats about leaving California and used every bit of weight they had to come out in favor of a settlement. Nolan’s DGA letter is just the most high profile example of this and it seems politicians in California got the message.

I wonder how much the current film industry labor desperation helped to settle something like this. The Ellisons are truly evil people and think were very successful with their threats as the timing was perfect. All the people I know who had steady employment in television or film are currently hurting as they jump from gig to gig unclear of what their next job will be unlike three years aho. A camera person I have worked with was currently working on a program for a major streaming platform that just had its entire production mysteriously halted in the middle of production and now is unsure when work will continue or if it even will. I think the consolidation of all the platforms and streamable/broadcasted media being extentions of the tech industry will just continue to further hurt unions, labor, and create plenty of bad movies along the way.

Lowry_Sam wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 9:47 pm Would love to know what Newsom's promise/bribe from the Ellisons was to pressure Bonta to change his mind. Most likely: "You get this thing approved & we'll replace Trump with you."

All hail Newsom, that shalt be president hereafter.

Somebody better push Newsom on this if he ends up running next year. Unless of course Harris decides to run in which case he said he would not compete with her. Not that it matters, neither of them will be the nominee.

Finch wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 10:16 pm Somebody better push Newsom on this if he ends up running next year. Unless of course Harris decides to run in which case he said he would not compete with her. Not that it matters, neither of them will be the nominee.

Newsom won’t make it to the final 5 of the Democratic nominees He’ll spend the remainder of his career on Fortune 500 boards and making his own bullshit nonprofits