Bectu calls for government intervention in Paramount–WBD merger

In a letter to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Bectu set out its concerns about the impact of the merger on the creative workforce, particularly freelancers, and urged ministers to intervene to protect plurality in UK media ownership.

Bectu said the proposed merger comes at a time of sustained disruption across the industry. In its latest survey of more than 500 screen industry workers, 39.5% reported that they were not currently working, only a marginal improvement on findings from Bectu’s Big Survey 2025, which showed around 43% out of work across film and television.

Nearly one in three creative workers expects to leave the industry within five years, raising serious concerns about the loss of skills, experience, and future talent.

Alongside writing to DCMS, Bectu has also submitted evidence to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), saying the merger could reduce competition, narrow commissioning, and result in fewer films screening in UK cinemas, with serious implications for cinema workers.

Bectu has urged the CMA to fully consider workforce impacts, saying previous merger reviews have repeatedly failed to account for the predominantly freelance nature of the creative workforce who must absorb the risks of cancelled commissions and shorter production slates.

Paramount struck its $110bn deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) in February 2026. The parent company has pledged that the combined studios will produce a minimum of 30 theatrical films annually and to maintain release windows at a minimum of 45 days.

The deal needs to secure approval by UK, European, and US regulators, where it will be reviewed by the CMA, the European Commission, and the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division respectively.

Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said: “This merger comes at exactly the wrong moment for a film industry workforce already facing prolonged insecurity and prolonged periods out of work. Further consolidation risks reducing opportunities, weakening bargaining power, and concentrating decisions about jobs and investment even further from the people whose livelihoods depend on them.”

Childs recently joined 14 other industry figures in signing an open letter addressed to UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden to urge the UK government to support a campaign to prevent on-set injuries. Discover more here.