12 states sue to block Paramount’s $110B Warner Bros. deal
12 states sue to block Paramount’s $110B Warner Bros. deal
12 个州提起诉讼，旨在阻止派拉蒙 1100 亿美元收购华纳兄弟的交易
A coalition of 12 state attorneys general is filing a lawsuit to block the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), alleging that the deal would harm movie theaters, basic cable distributors, and audiences. 由 12 个州的总检察长组成的联盟正在提起诉讼，试图阻止派拉蒙天空之舞（Paramount Skydance）与华纳兄弟探索（WBD）的合并。他们声称，这笔交易将损害电影院、基础有线电视分销商以及广大观众的利益。
The coalition, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, argues that the acquisition violates the Clayton Act, which prohibits mergers that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly. 该联盟由加利福尼亚州总检察长罗伯·邦塔（Rob Bonta）领导，他们认为此次收购违反了《克莱顿反托拉斯法》（Clayton Act），该法案禁止可能实质性削弱竞争或倾向于形成垄断的合并行为。
The attorneys general allege that if the two companies are allowed to merge, it would lessen competition in three areas: wide release theatrical film distribution, “top-grossing” theatrical distribution, and basic cable licensing. 总检察长们指出，如果允许这两家公司合并，将在三个领域削弱竞争：大规模院线电影发行、“高票房”院线发行以及基础有线电视授权。
The deal would combine two notable film studios as well as streaming platforms Paramount+ and HBO Max. It would also create one of the largest portfolios of television networks, bringing together Paramount’s CBS and MTV with WBD’s CNN and HBO. 这笔交易将合并两家知名电影制片厂，以及 Paramount+ 和 HBO Max 流媒体平台。它还将打造电视网络领域规模最大的投资组合之一，将派拉蒙旗下的 CBS 和 MTV 与华纳兄弟探索旗下的 CNN 和 HBO 整合在一起。
The proposed acquisition has already received scrutiny from filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals who have argued that the deal would reduce competition and further consolidate the U.S. media industry. 这项拟议的收购已经受到了电影制作人、演员和行业专业人士的审视，他们认为该交易将减少竞争，并进一步加剧美国媒体行业的整合。
Paramount has argued against this, saying the combined film studios would release 30 movies a year. 派拉蒙对此表示反对，称合并后的电影制片厂每年将发行 30 部电影。
The states argue that, if approved, the deal would give Paramount significant control over key areas of the entertainment industry, including 27% of the U.S. film distribution market, 30% of blockbuster movie distribution, and 27% of the basic cable channel market. 各州辩称，如果交易获批，派拉蒙将对娱乐行业的关键领域拥有重大控制权，包括占据美国电影发行市场 27% 的份额、大片发行市场 30% 的份额，以及基础有线电视频道市场 27% 的份额。
“Consolidation here not only leads to higher prices — it also leads to fewer opportunities for important stories to come to life, and fewer ways for audiences to encounter stories, ideas, and perspectives beyond their own experiences,” Bonta said in a statement. “这种整合不仅会导致价格上涨，还会导致重要故事被搬上银幕的机会减少，并减少观众接触自身经验之外的故事、思想和观点的途径，”邦塔在一份声明中表示。
“In this country, no one is above the law. With this lawsuit, California and our sister states are fighting for free and fair markets, not rigged markets. America has no kings in government or our economy.” “在这个国家，没有人能凌驾于法律之上。通过这次诉讼，加州和我们的兄弟州正在为自由公平的市场而战，而不是为了被操纵的市场。在美国，无论是政府还是经济领域，都没有国王。”
Paramount CEO David Ellison had said in May that the transaction was on track to close by September. The deal received approval from WBD shareholders in April, and has been cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice, which said the transaction is not likely to result in harm to competition or consumers. 派拉蒙首席执行官大卫·埃里森（David Ellison）曾在 5 月表示，该交易有望在 9 月前完成。该交易已于 4 月获得华纳兄弟探索股东的批准，并已获得美国司法部的许可，司法部当时表示该交易不太可能对竞争或消费者造成损害。
The 11 states joining California are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington. Paramount and WBD did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s requests for comment. 除加州外，加入诉讼的 11 个州分别是亚利桑那州、科罗拉多州、康涅狄格州、马萨诸塞州、明尼苏达州、内华达州、新泽西州、新墨西哥州、纽约州、俄勒冈州和华盛顿州。派拉蒙和华纳兄弟探索未立即回应 TechCrunch 的置评请求。