Dems will break up big media

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.) vowed that Democrats will “break” up large media conglomerates in response to a recent event hosted by Paramount CEO David Ellison following the company’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery this past week.

“Ellison and the information oligarchs should enjoy it while they can because when Democrats win power we are going to break these anti-consumer, anti-free speech media conglomerates into pieces,” Murphy wrote on the social platform X on Friday afternoon, alongside a photo of the event invitation.

Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison, own CBS under their parent company, Paramount. The two billionaires have positioned themselves as close allies of President Trump and his administration.

The board of Warner Bros. Discovery approved the company’s sale to Paramount on Thursday after a months-long bidding war with Netflix. Ellison’s party at the U.S. Institute of Peace — where Trump’s name was added to the building’s exterior in December — in Washington, D.C., was held later that evening.

“David F. Ellison cordially invites you to an intimate gathering in celebration of the First Amendment honoring the Trump White House and CBS White House Correspondents,” the invitation read.

The deal between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be finalized in the third quarter of 2026.

Democrats have been highly critical of the deal, which will now need final approval from Trump’s Justice Department.

In an open letter in April, over 100 Hollywood actors, directors and producers expressed their “unequivocal opposition” to the deal.

“This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries—and the audiences we serve—can least afford it,” the film industry professionals wrote.

“The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world,” they continued. “Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four.”

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