Actress Jane Fonda publicly protested the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the parent company of CNN, during an Oscars after-party, wearing a 'Block the Merger' pin to highlight her opposition to Paramount's bid for WBD [1]. Fonda expressed concerns that the merger could result in political influence over CNN, specifically referencing the Trump administration's potential impact as WBD moves forward with the deal [1]. She stated, 'The mergers are going to be bad for workers. A lot of people are going to lose their jobs. We’re going to have higher prices. We’re going to have political control of what we do,' and cited comments from Pete Hegseth about CNN coming under Paramount's control [1].
Fonda's criticism is rooted in her personal connection to CNN, having been married to its founder Ted Turner for ten years, and she emphasized that Turner created CNN to be 'trusted' and 'not take positions' [1]. She has not spoken directly to Paramount CEO David Ellison or Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav about her concerns but mentioned discussing Netflix's previous offer to buy WBD with co-CEO Ted Sarandos, mainly due to their friendship [1]. Fonda reiterated her opposition to any merger, but specifically called the Paramount deal 'problematic' because of President Donald Trump, stating, 'In order to get the permission to do the merger, they felt they had to cave to what Trump wanted. But we’re going to win' [1].
Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that it accepted Paramount's offer to purchase the company [1]. Fonda previously wrote an op-ed in The Ankler in December, warning that the sale of WBD to any company posed a danger to free speech and the entertainment industry, and claimed that Trump 'has used anticipated mergers as tools of political pressure and censorship' [1]. CNN staffers have also expressed concerns about potential changes to the news network following the merger [1].
A White House spokesperson, Kush Desai, dismissed Fonda's comments, stating, 'It’s been decades since anyone cared about what Hanoi Jane had to say about anything, and broadcasting that she, to quote her own words, ‘slept with the guy who created’ CNN isn’t changing that reality' [1].
CONCLUSION
Jane Fonda's vocal opposition to the Paramount-WBD merger centers on fears of job losses, higher prices, and political influence over CNN, particularly from the Trump administration. While Warner Bros. Discovery has accepted Paramount's offer, concerns about free speech and editorial independence remain prominent among critics and CNN staffers. The market impact is medium, with uncertainty about future changes to CNN and the broader entertainment industry.