Senator Marshall Sounds Alarm on Netflix–Warner Bros. Merger

Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) raising serious antitrust concerns over reports that Netflix is considering acquiring all or part of Warner Bros. Discovery. Senator Marshall warned that such a deal would create one of the largest content consolidations in modern media history – hurting consumers, workers, and competition across the entertainment marketplace.

In his letter to the DOJ and the FTC, Senator Marshall wrote:

“Such a transaction would constitute a major vertical and horizontal consolidation in a sector that is already marked by limited competition. If Netflix reached a deal to acquire Warner Bros., it would raise significant antitrust questions that warrant especially rigorous review.”

“As the market currently stands, Netflix holds a dominant position in the global streaming marketplace — boasting more than 300 million subscribers and exercising substantial control over both distribution and content. Acquiring HBO Max and Warner Bros.’ extensive library of premium programming would further expand this dominance across multiple markets.”

“Simply put, a deal of this scale risks diminishing competitive pressure, enabling Netflix to raise prices, restrict output, and reduce the variety of content available to consumers. The likely result would be fewer films produced, curtailed theatrical windows, and reduced investment in large-scale productions.”

“Given the outsized influence that the entertainment and media industries exert on competition, culture, and employment, I urge you to act decisively to prevent anticompetitive consolidation in this vital sector.”

Click HERE to read the full letter. 

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Contact: Payton Fuller