Netflix announced Friday that it will acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO, HBO Max, and studio assets in a move likely to entice advertisers with an expanded content library and a dramatic increase in audience reach.
But the $83 billion deal isn’t set in stone. Paramount Skydance on Monday countered with a $108.4 billion hostile bid, injecting uncertainty into what had appeared to be a surefire Netflix win over Comcast and Paramount. WBD, in a statement Monday, said its board will “carefully review and consider” the offer in line with its agreement with Netflix.
In the case that Netflix’s deal goes through, which could take more than a year, ad revenue won’t be the top prize.
