Mediagazer: A look at Hamlet, a startup that uses AI to process local government meeting videos and which plans to provide the tool to local journalists for free (Dominic-Madori Davis/TechCrunch)

7:15 AM ET, December 7, 2025

Top News:

Sources: WBD's board wanted a proposal it could sign immediately, and Netflix was the only bidder whose paperwork was fully executable the night of December 4 — Old-guard Hollywood underestimated streaming pioneer that has upended the industry over two decades

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:

Netflix agrees to acquire WBD's studios and streaming business in an $82.7B cash-and-stock deal, including debt, to close after WBD splits in two in Q3 2026 — As part of the deal, WBD will continue with plan to spin off its cable television networks — Netflix has agreed an $83bn takeover …

Discussion: About Netflix, New York Times, @paulguinnessy.bsky.social, Washington Post, Dow Jones Newswires, Alberto Onetti on LinkedIn, John Gallaugher on LinkedIn, New York Times, @mbrandolph, @michaelcollado, Yahoo Finance, The Motley Fool, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Raman Kumar Parepalli on LinkedIn, @austincarr, @pkafka, @netflix, Reuters, Reuters, Status, Jonah Zalken on LinkedIn, @themorrancave.bsky.social, Blaze Media, Axios, Press Association, Benzinga, Bounding Into Comics, The Daily Signal, Washington Post, iDrop News, Deadline, Breitbart, Ben Keen on LinkedIn, Charlotte Crouch on LinkedIn, Jasmeet Sidhu on LinkedIn, Al Jazeera, @parismarx.com, Daring Fireball, @shaundai.com, The Daily Caller, Channel NewsAsia, A Lovely Way to Spend …, @thefienprint.bsky.social, RNZ, @carnage4life.bsky.social, Digital Trends, @vinsonlovescomics.bsky.social, Variety, @karlbode.com, Neowin, Newswise, @Holberg@mstdn.social, @tweak@ohai.social, My Nintendo News, ZeroHedge News, The Athletic, Screen Rant, Radio & Television …, Canoe, The Streamable, NPR, New York Sun, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social, TechCrunch, @jonathancohn.bsky.social, @droog811.bsky.social, @bretbatson.bsky.social, @kambole.bsky.social, @peter-eller10.bsky.social, @leafwarbler.bsky.social, @jackcarterbenjamin …, @Knoebel@mastodon.social, @mgsiegler.com, @valiuz.bsky.social, @jakevk.bsky.social, @uppergwladysblu.bsky.social, Deadline, @lewisgoodall.com, @joshsternberg.com, @irishoutsider.bsky.social, Deadline and @thebarrylad.bsky.social

Variety:

The WGA, which routinely opposes media mergers, says the Netflix-WBD deal must be blocked, and the Producers and Directors guilds express concern over the deal — SAG-AFTRA says proposed pact raises ‘serious questions about its impact on the future of the entertainment industry’

Bloomberg:
Netflix secured $59B in bridge financing from Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, and HSBC for its WBD bid, one of the largest loans of its kind; Wells' share is $29.5B

Discussion: Financial Times, Paula Seligson on LinkedIn, SiliconANGLE, Fortune and Inc.com

Jody Godoy / Reuters:
Congressional Democrats and Republicans criticize the Netflix-WBD deal, saying it would raise streaming subscription prices and lessen workers' pay and control

Ted Johnson / Deadline:
A look at the uphill battle to win regulatory approval for Netflix's acquisition of WBD, and the roles of the US DOJ, EU regulators, and state attorneys general

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
Netflix's WBD bid marks a striking strategy shift for a company long known for pivots, especially after years of avoiding full commitment to theatrical releases

Discussion: Variety, GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT, Forbes, Screen, Screen Rant, @mgsiegler, Instapundit, Vulture, No Film School, Decider, /Film, Den of Geek, MakeUseOf, San Francisco Chronicle, Deadline, Associated Press, CNBC, Mashable, World of Reel, CinemaBlend, The Wrap and Spyglass

Isabella Simonetti / Wall Street Journal:

Vanity Fair and Olivia Nuzzi agree to part ways and let her contract expire at the end of the year, following new allegations about her affair with RFK Jr. — Nuzzi joined the magazine as an editor earlier this year — Vanity Fair and Olivia Nuzzi have agreed to part ways following …

Kat Tenbarge / Wired:

Some Reddit moderators say a surge of AI slop on the site is eroding its authenticity and could lead to a feedback loop of AI models training on AI content — Reddit is considered one of the most human spaces left on the internet, but mods and users are overwhelmed with slop posts in the most popular subreddits.

Discussion: Gizmodo, New York Times and WinBuzzer, more at Techmeme »

John Koblin / New York Times:

The Netflix-WBD deal should quiet concerns, for now, from CNN employees worried about the prospect of Paramount combining CBS News and CNN in a WBD acquisition — The prospect of Paramount's buying Warner Bros. Discovery had led CNN journalists to wonder if the channel may be combined with CBS News.

Discussion: Washington Post, Forbes, Mock Paper Scissors, World of Reel, TVNewsCheck, Mirror US, American Prospect, IJR and Showbiz411

Dominic-Madori Davis / TechCrunch:

A look at Hamlet, a startup that uses AI to process local government meeting videos and which plans to provide the tool to local journalists for free — The launch of Hamlet was quite personal for Sunil Rajaraman. — Back in 2022, he ran for city council in a small California town.

Discussion: Plain Dealer

Pamela McClintock / The Hollywood Reporter:

A look at Paramount's culture shift under David Ellison, where the focus is on male-driven action movies, and not on prestige films seen as critics' darlings — It's a brand-new day at the legacy studio, where prestige films are out, testosterone-heavy tentpoles are in and Brett Ratner is back on the call sheet.

Discussion: @jakelahut.bsky.social, @devonheinen.bsky.social, @vinzenzhediger.bsky.social, @mhweber.bsky.social, @badideas.bsky.social, @carlquintanilla.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, World of Reel, /Film, KDFX-TV and Comic Book

Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:

WBD CEO David Zaslav, criticized for cutting costs, scrapping movies, and laying off thousands, may end up having the last laugh thanks to the Netflix-WBD deal — Long Hollywood's punching bag, the CEO is shaking up the industry with a blockbuster deal — David Zaslav is finally having his moment.

Discussion: Australian Financial Review, New York Post, Variety, The Wrap, Bloomberg Law, Deadline, Business Insider, Puck and The Indian Express

Oliver Darcy / Status:

Sources: David Ellison's interference in WBD's failed summer talks to extend HBO Max's South Park licensing deal left David Zaslav distrustful of Ellison — Over the summer, David Zaslav was deep in negotiations with Paramount over “South Park,” hoping to extend HBO Max's licensing deal for the popular program.

Discussion: Cracked.com, BBC, @oliverdarcy.bsky.social and @status.news

Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Documents and source: WBD CEO David Zaslav's stock in WBD would be worth close to $660M if the Netflix deal closes

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, DNYUZ, @dylanbyers, @jbillinson@threads.com, Variety, DiscussingFilm, @willmckinley.bsky.social, Sportico, @devonheinen.bsky.social, Benzinga, Puck, @timkarr.bsky.social, The American Bazaar, Just The News and TV Tech

Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers:

Sources: Bari Weiss poaches ABC News' Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman to serve as CBS News correspondent; he isn't in line to anchor the Evening News — Scoop: Bari Weiss has managed to lure ABC News correspondent @mattgutmanABC to CBS after a protracted back-and-forth negotiation, per sources familiar. He will serve as a high-profile correspondent and is not in line for Evening News anchor job. More in tonight's In The Room

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, DNYUZ and Mediaite

Chris Kerr / Game Developer:

WBD confirms that Warner Bros. Games will be acquired by Netflix along with its wider streaming and television business — A Warner Bros. spokesperson has confirmed the video game division will be acquired by Netflix alongside its wider streaming and television business.

Katie Campione / Deadline:
SAG-AFTRA puts off taking a position on the Netflix-WBD deal but says a deal benefiting its members “must result in more creation and more production, not less”

Discussion: @variety, Adweek, The Wrap, USA Today, Financial Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Times, Yahoo Finance, MediaPost, The Streamable, Mobile World Live and Business Insider

Humeyra Pamuk / Reuters:

The Trump administration orders enhanced vetting of H-1B applicants and their families for past work in “censorship”, including fact-checking and online safety — The Trump administration on Wednesday announced increased vetting of applicants for H-1B visas for highly skilled workers …