Democrats’ capture of both chambers of Congress is expected to bring increased scrutiny of media and technology companies, including hearings and possible subpoenas focused on business deals and relationships with the Trump administration.
The prospect follows a February hearing in which Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros. Discovery chief revenue and strategy officer Bruce Campbell defended their proposed deal before lawmakers. David Ellison, whose Paramount later secured a deal for WBD, was invited but declined to testify, citing the rejection of Paramount’s earlier bid. The article says lawmakers may be less willing to accept that explanation in the next Congress.
A source working for a Democratic senator said members in both chambers are interested in questioning executives about deals and possible quid pro quos. Areas of focus could include Skydance’s deal for WBD, the Fox-Roku deal and the proposed sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX. Lawmakers may also examine government contracts involving Google, Meta, OpenAI and SpaceX, as well as Amazon’s deal for a documentary about Melania Trump.
Sen. Cory Booker has said he intends to examine mergers approved by the administration. After Paramount reached a settlement with state attorneys general, he alleged that the company’s merger had been advanced through political favoritism, citing the administration’s support for the Ellisons, Paramount’s contacts with the Justice Department and a dinner hosted by Ellison on the night of the shareholder vote. Booker also reiterated his support for the proposed CLEAN Mergers Act.
Democrats may also investigate what they view as government overreach. The article points to FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s effort to strip Disney’s ABC of local station licenses and the possibility that NBC’s licenses could be reviewed following Comcast’s planned NBCUniversal spinoff. Anthropic’s dispute with the Justice Department could also draw attention.
Congressional inquiries could require companies to discuss their treatment by the administration and expose them to public criticism or disclosures. The article compares the prospect with the 2024 child-safety hearings, where executives from major technology companies faced sharp questioning. It says the opportunity to move major media, entertainment and technology deals through Washington without close congressional examination may be narrowing.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter.