As Netflix and Paramount compete to buy Warner Bros., PNW faculty and students worry the merger will only reduce competition – and job opportunities. 

“We’re rapidly approaching a situation where only one or two companies may have control over nearly all major media content,” said Jake Giles, broadcast studio manager and instructor. “That’s bad for a variety of reasons, but certainly a reduction of the creative process is among them.”  

He said mergers typically result in less work. 

“If two studios each release 10 to 15 films a year and then merge, it’s unlikely the new company will release double the content,” Giles said. “That leads to fewer opportunities across production, marketing, casting and creative roles.” 

Mary Beth O’Connor, professor emeritus of communication who teaches broadcasting and advertising classes, said continued consolidation limits competition and reduces consumer choice. 

“When smaller companies are bought by bigger companies on a continual basis, it limits choices,” O’Connor said. “Fewer competitors mean higher prices for consumers and less variety in both content and delivery systems.” 

O’Connor said streaming-first companies, specifically Netflix, have an advantage over traditional studios because of the detailed audience data they collect.  

“They know what people watch, how they watch it and when they stop watching,” O’Connor said. “That information allows them to produce content designed to keep audiences engaged.” 

Both professors said mergers at this scale often lead to job losses across the industry.  

“If there are fewer places to sell scripts or find acting work, creators will likely be paid less for their creativity and labor,” said O’Connor.  

For students hoping to enter the media industry, the potential acquisition raises concerns about career stability and creative freedom. 

Hannah Chorba, a senior majoring in Communication, focused on broadcast and advertising, said media consolidation worries her both professionally and as a consumer. 

“At first, it seems convenient to have all your favorite shows and movies on one platform,” Chorba said. “But when one group controls most of the content, creativity suffers and fewer types of stories are told.” 

Other students expressed concern about how a change this big will shape the industry they will enter after graduation. 

Madason Brown, a senior studying Broadcasting, said acquisitions create uncertainty for new professionals. 

“Company mergers are unsettling because people are usually shuffled into existing positions instead of new roles opening up,” Brown said. “That makes it harder for students to break into the industry.” 

Brown also pointed to rising costs and shifting audience habits as challenges facing movie theaters.  

“Streaming plays a role, but theaters are also hurting themselves with higher prices and less value for audiences,” she said. “If theaters want to survive long-term, they’ll need to rethink the experience.” 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the industry, both professors emphasized that traditional media is evolving rather than disappearing entirely. 

“Broadcast media has reinvented itself before,” Giles said. “It may not look the same as it once did, but it’s unlikely to disappear altogether.” 

O’Connor agreed that whoever acquires Warner Bros., the outcome could have long-lasting effects on how content is created, distributed and consumed.   

“We know the industry is shifting,” O’Connor said. “What remains to be seen is how those changes will affect creators, audiences and future professionals. I guess we’ll just have to fasten our seatbelts and take that bumpy ride to see.”