A proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery is under scrutiny as critics and lawmakers worry about the merged company’s large share of the streaming market.
The US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division is expected to review the deal, but some question whether politics will influence the decision, given the current administration’s willingness to settle merger cases.
McCarter & English partner and former DOJ Antitrust Division attorney, Robin Crauthers spoke with Law360 about the deal and said “This merger will likely face a long antitrust runway, not only because regulators must examine its impact on content creation, consumer streaming and ad-supported markets, but because this administration places emphasis on whether a combined platform could hold enough market power to shape who gets heard — and who doesn’t.”