08 December 2025
Streaming Wars: Netflix Acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery Faces Regulatory Hurdles
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The streaming industry is in a period of major consolidation and regulatory scrutiny, with Netflix’s proposed 83 billion dollar acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery dominating headlines over the past 48 hours. Netflix announced it will buy Warner Bros Discovery’s film studios and streaming assets, including HBO Max, in a deal valued at about 82.7 billion dollars. This would combine the world’s largest streaming service, with over 300 million subscribers globally, and the fourth largest, HBO Max, which has around 128 million subscribers worldwide. In the U.S., Netflix has about 69 million subscribers and HBO Max about 23.4 million, with roughly 10.6 million paying for both, according to analytics firm Antenna.
The deal is still far from done. It faces significant regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and Europe, with antitrust concerns already being raised. Former President Donald Trump has publicly flagged the combined market share as a potential antitrust problem, and analysts expect intense scrutiny over whether the merger would reduce competition and raise prices for consumers. At the same time, Paramount Skydance has reportedly made a competing all cash bid, setting up a potential bidding war.
For consumers, immediate changes are unlikely. Both Netflix and HBO Max will continue operating separately for at least the next year or two. Netflix executives have suggested the possibility of discounted bundles, similar to Disney’s Disney Plus and Hulu offering, which could lower monthly costs for those who subscribe to both services. Longer term, there is a strong possibility that HBO Max content will be fully integrated into Netflix, following the path Disney is taking with Hulu.
On the product side, Amazon Prime Video has just launched a free news hub in the U.S., offering 24/7 access to ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and hundreds of other channels at no extra cost. This expands Prime Video’s ad supported inventory and strengthens its position in the growing connected TV advertising market, where ad spend is projected to reach 28 percent of media budgets in 2025, up from 14 percent in 2023.
For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/44ci4hQ
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
The deal is still far from done. It faces significant regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and Europe, with antitrust concerns already being raised. Former President Donald Trump has publicly flagged the combined market share as a potential antitrust problem, and analysts expect intense scrutiny over whether the merger would reduce competition and raise prices for consumers. At the same time, Paramount Skydance has reportedly made a competing all cash bid, setting up a potential bidding war.
For consumers, immediate changes are unlikely. Both Netflix and HBO Max will continue operating separately for at least the next year or two. Netflix executives have suggested the possibility of discounted bundles, similar to Disney’s Disney Plus and Hulu offering, which could lower monthly costs for those who subscribe to both services. Longer term, there is a strong possibility that HBO Max content will be fully integrated into Netflix, following the path Disney is taking with Hulu.
On the product side, Amazon Prime Video has just launched a free news hub in the U.S., offering 24/7 access to ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and hundreds of other channels at no extra cost. This expands Prime Video’s ad supported inventory and strengthens its position in the growing connected TV advertising market, where ad spend is projected to reach 28 percent of media budgets in 2025, up from 14 percent in 2023.
For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/44ci4hQ
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI