A gathering in Los Angeles brought together influential voices from government agencies, labor unions, and the entertainment industry to oppose the planned merger of Paramount Skydance with Warner Bros. The event, held at the Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills, highlighted fears that the deal would undermine free speech, reduce job availability, and threaten the diversity of media voices.
Among the speakers were Anna Gomez, the only Democratic commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya; and Michelle Mulroney, president of the Writers Guild of America West. Each emphasized the merger’s potential to further concentrate media power and disrupt industry livelihoods.
Gomez expressed the frustration of ongoing attacks on First Amendment rights but urged attendees to stay motivated, stressing the importance of public participation. The event was co-hosted by several groups, including the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), the Film Coalition, The Worker Agency, Free Press, the 1A Committee, DD Action, and More Perfect Union Events, demonstrating a broad coalition of opposition.
Attendees spanned a wide range of entertainment roles—from writers and actors to editors and stagehands. One member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) described the severe job losses linked to consolidation trends in the industry, noting a sharp decline in film and TV production opportunities over recent years. The merger, they said, could accelerate a collapse in work availability for thousands of production workers.
Voices at the event frequently reflected on how the industry’s culture has changed, shifting from casual conversations about projects to uncertainties over employment. The merger was portrayed as a looming threat capable of dealing a final blow to a struggling sector, with similar demonstration events planned in New York and Atlanta.