@sfchronicle: East Bay comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell joined a handful of other creatives Friday in front of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland to protest the $111 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery while a federal judge was hearing arguments as part of a case in which the future of Hollywood hangs in the balance. They displayed signs with the hashtag #BlockTheMerger and took turns speaking to the media. On Monday, a judge ordered a halt to the merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court. Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week — alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers across the U.S. Video credit: G. Allen Johnson/S.F. Chronicle

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Tuesday 21 July 2026 04:29:50 GMT