WGA opposes any Warner Bros. Discovery merger with another studio

The Writers Guild of America’s east and west branches on Thursday announced they will oppose any merger of Warner Bros. Discovery with another major studio or streamer, saying such consolidation would be harmful to writers, consumers and competition. The union said it will work with regulators to block deals as Warner Bros. Discovery carries out a strategic review after receiving unsolicited interest from multiple parties.

Warner Bros. Discovery has told investors it is reviewing strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, and people familiar with the talks say Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, has made multiple offers that the company has rebuffed. The writers guild argued in its joint statement that a combination of Warner Bros. with Paramount or another large content company would further shrink the number of buyers in the marketplace and replicate past patterns the union says have hurt workers and diminished competition.

The WGA’s statement echoes a longstanding industry stance by the union. In recent years it has opposed several high-profile media mergers and urged stronger antitrust enforcement, arguing that consolidation can lead to fewer jobs, reduced...