DCMS secured binding undertakings on UK broadcasting, news and children’s content after Paramount offered a deed of undertaking; the CMA said there were no UK competition issues needing further action.
The UK government has decided not to issue a Public Interest Intervention Notice over the proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery after securing assurances and legally binding commitments from Paramount. DCMS had written to the companies on 30 June 2026 saying the Culture Secretary was minded to intervene under the Enterprise Act public interest regime over possible effects on media plurality in the UK, including children’s programming, editorial independence and news media, and later set out the same concerns in Parliament. Paramount responded with assurances on future UK investment, the distinct editorial identities of key services and the editorial independence of news, then agreed to strengthen them through a deed of undertaking in the Secretary of State’s favour. The Competition and Markets Authority separately said there were no competition aspects of the merger in the UK requiring further intervention. The government said the protections secured at this point would help safeguard a diverse range of broadcasting and on-demand services, while Paramount must provide annual compliance statements and DCMS will monitor implementation closely. The Secretary of State will update Parliament when it returns from Summer Recess in September and plans to meet Paramount in the coming weeks to seek further assurances on the deal’s impact on the wider creative industries.