Progressive Democrats Say WarnerMedia-Discovery Merger 'Raises Significant Antitrust Concerns'

Progressive Democrats in Congress have called on the U.S. Department of Justice conduct a thorough investigation into the proposed $43 billion merger of AT&T’s T WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. DISCA.

What Happened: Variety reported the concern was spearheaded by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). The legislators sent a letter U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter arguing that the merger would limit employment opportunity and consumer choices.

“This transaction raises significant antitrust concerns,” the letter said. “In particular, the merger threatens to enhance the market power of the combined firm and substantially lessen competition in the media and entertainment industry, harming both consumers and American workers.”

The lawmakers added that the merger could be particularly detrimental to the nation’s nonwhite demographics.

“Enforcement of our anti-merger laws is especially critical for workers from marginalized communities,” the letter continued. “In the past, mergers across all industries have disproportionately led to job losses for workers identifying as racial and ethnic minorities compared to their white counterparts.”

The letter, which was signed by many members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, added content would suffer a decline in Hispanic representation on-screen, adding that a “more consolidated, less competitive marketplace may only reduce the competitive pressure on media companies to provide consumers with more diverse and inclusive programming.”

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What Happens Next: The letter called on Garland and Kanter to “conduct a thorough review of this transaction to ensure that it does not harm American consumers and workers by illegally harming competition.”

Other prominent Democrats signing the letter including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman of New York, Barbara Lee, Ted Lieu, Zoe Lofgren and Juan Vargas of California, Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

Photo: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, courtesy of Mark Nozell / Flickr Creative Commons