It's Been a Minute Meet the billionaires who control your media
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Mar 20, 2026 
David Folkenflik, NPR media correspondent who tracks media ownership and industry impacts, and Mandalit Del Barco, NPR culture correspondent covering film, TV, and industry labor. They unpack the Ellison–Paramount/Warner deal. They discuss consolidation across franchises and news, debt and streaming costs, data advantages and political ties, and what this could mean for storytelling and workers.
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One Family Could Control Major Media Franchises
- David Ellison's proposed Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros concentrates huge cultural influence across film, TV and news under one family.
- The deal would add franchises like Harry Potter, networks like CNN, and potentially TikTok control to the Ellison portfolio.
Consolidation Can Mean Higher Costs And Less Content
- Fewer competing streamers and studio consolidation can raise subscription prices and reduce desirable content.
- Warner Bros. Discovery took on deals because it couldn't compete with Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, making consolidation a likely outcome.
Media Ownership Raises News Independence Concerns
- Owning multiple major news outlets reduces diversity of news voices and raises questions about editorial independence.
- The Ellisons' political ties, especially Larry Ellison's closeness to President Trump, intensify concerns about news influence.