In the wake of the news that Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Jane Fonda, on behalf of the Committee for the First Amendment, denounced the deal as a “constitutional crisis” that could destroy Hollywood.
“Today’s news that Warner Bros. Discovery has accepted a purchase bid
is an alarming escalation of the consolidation that threatens the entire entertainment industry, the democratic public it serves, and the First Amendment itself,” the Friday statement read.
“Make no mistake, this is not just a catastrophic business deal that could destroy our creative industry,” the statement continued. “It is a constitutional crisis exacerbated by the administration’s demonstrated disregard for the law.”
Fonda issued a warning specifically to the Justice Department and state attorneys general, demanding that, once the deal triggers an antitrust review, they “refrain from using that power to extract political concessions that influence
content decisions or chill free speech.”
The acting legend then turned her attention towards Netflix “and any company that becomes involved in this destructive deal.”
“We have watched industry leaders acquiesce to the administration’s demands at the expense of our livelihoods, our storytelling and our constitutional rights. As stewards of an industry built on free expression, you have a responsibility to defend our rights, not trade them away to pad your pockets,” the statement noted. “We are watching closely, organizing, and ready to mobilize.”
Fonda and the Committee for the First Amendment are among a growing list of Hollywood advocates who have condemned the deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, which would see Netflix purchase WBD’s studio and streaming assets with a mix of cash and stock worth $82.7 billion.
Since the news broke on Friday evening, statements have flooded in from the Producers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters and the WGA, as well as from advocates like Elizabeth Warren, all raising alarm bells over the deal.
“The world’s largest streaming company swallowing one of its biggest competitors is what antitrust laws were designed to prevent,” the WGA statement read. “The outcome would eliminate jobs, push down wages, worsen conditions for all entertainment workers, raise prices for consumers and reduce the volume and diversity of content for all viewers.”
Read Fonda’s statement in full:
Today’s news that Warner Bros. Discovery has accepted a purchase bid
is an alarming escalation of the consolidation that threatens the
entire entertainment industry, the democratic public it serves, and
the First Amendment itself.
Make no mistake, this is not just a catastrophic business deal that
could destroy our creative industry. It is a constitutional crisis
exacerbated by the administration’s demonstrated disregard for the
law.
To the Justice Department and state attorneys general: We know this
deal — or any deal of this magnitude — will trigger your antitrust
review obligation, and we demand that you categorically refrain from
using that power to extract political concessions that influence
content decisions or chill free speech.
To Netflix and any company that becomes involved in this destructive
deal: We have watched industry leaders acquiesce to the
administration’s demands at the expense of our livelihoods, our
storytelling, and our constitutional rights. As stewards of an
industry built on free expression, you have a responsibility to defend
our rights, not trade them away to pad your pockets.
We are watching closely, organizing, and ready to mobilize.
