1 month ago
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), nan apical Democrat connected nan Senate antitrust subcommittee, will clasp a “spotlight hearing” connected Wednesday connected Paramount‘s projected merger pinch Warner Bros. Discovery.
Booker besides has invited Paramount CEO David Ellison to testify, travel up connected erstwhile letters asking him to appear.
A “spotlight hearing” is not an charismatic proceeding connected nan Senate Judiciary schedule, but alternatively are typically held by 1 aliases much members of a statement to attraction connected a peculiar issue. Last month, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA) held a spotlight proceeding successful Los Angeles connected nan Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
Per Booker’s office, those scheduled to look astatine Wednesday’s proceeding see David Borenstein, this year’s documentary characteristic victor for Mr. Nobody Against Putin; Michael Isaac, head of ineligible services astatine nan Writers Guild of America East; lawyer Katie Phang; and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, co-founder and executive head of nan Partnership for Civil Justice Fund and personnel of nan steering committee of Jane Fonda’s Committee for nan First Amendment.
Fonda’s committee helped shape an unfastened missive of manufacture professionals opposing nan Paramount-WBD merger. A spokesperson for different group that is progressive successful nan effort, nan Democracy Defenders Fund, said that much than 2,000 person signed connected to nan letter, pinch Edward Norton, Pedro Pascal, Florence Pugh and Atsuko Okatsuka precocious adding their names.
A Paramount spokesperson did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
In his latest connection to Ellison, Booker noted Paramount’s response to nan unfastened letter. “Paramount stated that nan merger would guarantee that creatives person ‘more avenues for their work, not fewer’ and that nan mixed institution would ‘greenlight much projects’ and ‘back bold ideas.’ These are superior commitments. This forum is an opportunity for you to make them straight to Congress and to nan workers, journalists and creators whose livelihoods dangle connected whether these promises are kept.” The New York Times first reported connected Booker’s letter.
