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\n\tEstimated to come with a debt load of $78 billion and obvious overlaps in roles and departments, the melding of the two iconic studios under one corporate umbrella is widely assumed to come with deep deep job cuts. Since Skydance founder Ellison\u2019s takeover of Paramount last year, the home of CBS has seen thousands laid off. Under David Zaslav\u2019s expensive leadership the past four years, WBD has also had more than its fair share of cuts.<\/p>\n
\n\tJumping into the race for City Hall on the last possible day, Raman, who is married to producer\/writer Vali Chandrasekaren,\u00a0has promised \u201cto be the loudest advocates for the most expansive possible film tax credits at the state and federal level, guaranteed multiple years into the future so that producers and studios can count on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tEven with the 2025 expansion of the state tax credits and a recent and much Bass touted small quarter-over-quarter rise uptick in days in LA, production in the home of Hollywood has been way down in the past few years. <\/p>\n
\n\tThat harsh decline has seen job losses and larger economic ramifications as the tax base, vendors and the region overall has taken hits. Add the growing presence of AI in the industry to the mix, and the situation is critical. Also, the tub thumping of the shoot day rise has rubbed many the wrong way as it is suffers from the false equivilency of comparing the holiday filled end of last year with the first few months of 2026.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn office since 2022 and a vocal advocate for tax credits that she played a pivotal hand in back in her Sacramento days, Bass finally created a film office in City Hall last year under the direction of Board of Public Works President Steve Kang. Along with the delay in prioritising the production downturn, Bass has been widely panned for picking Kang due to his lack of industry experience. <\/p>\n
\n\tHaving cut fees and some other measures for filming in the City of Angels, Bass has Friday also joined the movement for a federal incentive program to counter moves in the UK, Australia, Canada and elsewhere to lure production. \u201cWe are in a global battle for entertainment jobs, and we must hold nothing back in our fight,\u201d Mayor Bass said tonight. \u201cThis is about an industry that is essential to our middle class and who we are as a city.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tParamount agrees with Bass, kinda.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe welcome the Mayor\u2019s support for increased tax incentives to reverse the losses of production out of California,\u201d a Paramount spokesperson told Deadline tonight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFurther, this transaction will drive more content creation, more filming, and more high-quality jobs across Los Angeles and California by combining complementary strengths to invest at greater scale in storytelling, production, and creative talent,\u201d the company added of the WBD deal. \u201cWe welcome all efforts that support our commitments: increase output, expand opportunities for creators and crews, and strengthen LA\u2019s entertainment economy by ensuring the city remains the global epicenter of film, television, and creative innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWith The Hills<\/em> alum Spencer Pratt also running with a MAGA inspired campaign, the L.A. Mayor\u2019s race takes places in two ballot stages with a primary on June 2. If neither Bass nor Raman garners more that 50% of the vote, as occurred in the now incumbent\u2019s battle with developer Rick Caruso in 2022, then the election goes to a runoff on November 3, the same day as the potentially seismic midterms. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n