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Federal judge temporarily halts Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
How this story is being covered
Extra Extra has grouped 28 reports on this story from 27 news outlets across the political spectrum. By political lean, that breaks down as 15 left-leaning, 8 center, and 5 right-leaning sources.
With a coverage-diversity score of 91 out of 100, this is one of the more evenly reported stories in our index right now — left, center, and right outlets are all giving it attention.
On reliability, 20 of the 27 rated outlets carry a high or mostly-factual reliability rating (A or B) and 7 outlets fall into our mixed or lower-reliability tier (C or D). Ratings are drawn from independent assessments and are meant to help you weigh each report, not to tell you which to trust.
Coverage of this story has developed over roughly 19 hours, so the perspectives below capture how the framing shifted as the story matured.
Below, the same story is laid out side by side as left, center, and right outlets reported it. Read across the columns and watch what changes: the headline emphasis, which facts lead, the adjectives, and what each side leaves out. The story itself rarely changes — the framing almost always does.
Outlets covering this story: CBS News, Oregon Capital Chronicle, MSNBC, The Minnesota Star Tribune, Anchorage Daily News, CBC News, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, NBC News, Business Insider, The New Republic, NPR, New York Times, The Verge, The Hill, NewsNation, PBS NewsHour, CNBC, Al Jazeera, Straight Arrow News, Sky News, Financial Times, Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, ZeroHedge, Just the News, Fox Business.
Left(15)
CBS NewsBJul 20, 7:21 PM
Judge temporarily halts Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger
The ruling comes after a coalition of 12 states sued to block the deal, arguing it would harm consumers and the entertainment industry.
Oregon Capital ChronicleBJul 20, 7:02 PM
Federal judge temporarily blocks Paramount and Warner Bros. merger
A federal judge Monday temporarily blocked Paramount from moving forward with a $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The decision came after 12 Democratic-led states, including Oregon, la
MSNBCCJul 20, 5:51 PM
Judge temporarily blocks Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
A federal judge paused Paramount’s $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. after 12 state attorneys general sued to block the merger. The post Judge temporarily blocks Paramount-Warner Bros. merger app
The Minnesota Star TribuneAJul 20, 7:15 PM
Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks, granting states' request
A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $81 billion merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their cas
Anchorage Daily NewsBJul 20, 6:02 PM
Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks, granting states’ request
Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week— alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices f
CBC NewsAJul 20, 7:17 PM
Paramount, Warner must pause merger for at least two weeks, judge says
A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $81 billion US merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their
CBS NewsBJul 20, 5:36 PM
Temporary restraining order granted to block Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. merger
A judge has granted a temporary restraining order to temporarily block the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger from happening. CBS News' Jake Rosen reports. Paramount Skydance is the pare
The Daily BeastCJul 20, 6:49 PM
Judge Grants Temporary Retraining Order Blocking Paramount's Acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovert
Donald Trump’s pal David Ellison was hit with a temporary pause on his plans to acquire the parent company of CNN. Ellison’s Skydance, which acquired Paramount in August, set its sights on Warner Bros
The GuardianAJul 20, 6:03 PM
Judge orders pause on Paramount-Warner merger after challenge from 12 states
$81bn merger halted for at least two weeks after US states sued to block deal, saying it would ‘extinguish competition’ A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery to halt th
NBC NewsBJul 20, 5:01 PM
Judge puts temporary pause on Paramount-Warner merger
Paramount Skydance’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery hit a roadblock Monday after a federal judge temporarily paused the proposed merger.
Business InsiderBJul 20, 5:13 PM
Paramount's WBD deal is on pause after judge orders a merger delay
David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance CEO, ran into a roadblock after a lawsuit from California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Valerie Macon / AFP via Getty Images; Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Get
The New RepublicBJul 20, 5:48 PM
Judge Blocks Paramount–Warner Bros. Merger in Huge Blow to Trump Ally
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the proposed $110 billion merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount, determining that the combination of the two megacorporations would violate antitr
NPRAJul 20, 5:55 PM
Court ruling freezes Paramount-Warner Bros. merger for now
Paramount's owners were hoping they'd be firmly in control of rival Warner Bros. Discovery by the end of this week. Monday's temporary restraining order puts that plan on hold.
New York TimesAJul 20, 5:23 PM
Judge Temporarily Pauses Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal
The delay is intended to give the court time to consider a lawsuit that argues the $111 billion merger violates antitrust laws.
The VergeBJul 20, 5:37 PM
Judge pauses Paramount’s attempt to buy Warner Bros. Discovery
A judge partially granted the request from a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily place the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery on hold, as reported by Variety and Reut
Center(8)
The HillBJul 20, 5:56 PM
Judge hits brakes on Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery merger
A judge in California has put Paramount’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on hold while the court considers a sweeping antitrust lawsuit challenging the multibillion-dollar transaction, whi
NewsNationBJul 20, 5:25 PM
Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least 2 weeks
The pause allows states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court.
PBS NewsHourAJul 20, 5:41 PM
Judge says Paramount and Warner Bros. must halt merger for at least 2 weeks as states challenge deal
welve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount's pending buyout of Warner last week— alleging that such a combination would "extinguish competition" in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices fo
CNBCBJul 20, 7:20 PM
Paramount and Warner Bros. merger hit with temporary restraining order
A California judge granted a temporary restraining order as part of the lawsuit brought by state attorneys general due to antitrust concerns.
Al JazeeraBJul 20, 7:20 PM
US judge orders pause on Paramount–Warner Bros merger
Paramount risks $650m quarterly fees if merger delays extend beyond September, as per the merger agreement terms.
Straight Arrow NewsBJul 20, 6:45 PM
A judge put the brakes on the $111B Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. How a trio of lawsuits puts the deal’s fate into question
Paramount must fight off lawsuits from states, writers and shareholders to keep its $111B merger with Warner Bros. alive.
Sky NewsAJul 20, 5:34 PM
Paramount takeover of Warner Bros paused on orders of judge
A judge has ordered a temporary halt to the takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) by Paramount Skydance, as several US states move to block the deal.
Financial TimesAJul 20, 5:37 PM
US judge pauses Paramount’s $110bn Warner Bros acquisition
Federal court grants request for temporary halt to merger while examining impact on competition in Hollywood
Right(5)
Washington ExaminerCJul 20, 7:23 PM
Federal judge temporarily halts Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
A federal judge in Northern California granted a temporary restraining order halting the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery until an August hearing on the blockbuster consolidatio
The Gateway PunditDJul 20, 7:00 PM
Biden Judge Halts Paramount’s $110 Billion Warner Bros. Discovery Merger After California and Blue-State Coalition Sues to Kill the Deal
A federal judge in Oakland just slammed the brakes on one of the biggest media mergers in Hollywood history. The post Biden Judge Halts Paramount’s $110 Billion Warner Bros. Discovery Merger After Cal
ZeroHedgeDJul 20, 5:10 PM
Judge Slaps A 14-Day Timeout On Paramount-Warner Bros. Mega-Merger
Judge Slaps A 14-Day Timeout On Paramount-Warner Bros. Mega-Merger A federal judge just threw a wrench into one of the biggest media shake-ups in years. On Monday, U.S. District Judge A
Just the NewsCJul 20, 12:00 AM
Federal judge halts Paramount and Warner Bros. $81 billion merger to allow states' legal challenges
Twelve states, led by California, sued to block the merger, alleging that it would "extinguish competition" in Hollywood and reduce choices for consumers.
Fox BusinessCJul 20, 5:45 PM
Paramount-WBD merger on hold after judge grants temporary restraining order
California District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín approved a temporary restraining order, putting a 14-day pause on the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
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