With the Federal Reserve delivering a 25bps rate cut this week and signaling the possibility of additional fiscal easing by year-end, I expect M&A activity will finally enter a long-overdue growth phase, with one industry set to emerge as the prime beneficiary. TMT M&A has proven more resilient than most sectors, recording a 33% increase in deal value to $146b despite steady volumes and tariff-related headwinds. Within technology, AI-driven innovation and infrastructure consolidation fueled activity, markin ...

但在现实执行时，美国员工依旧有约1/4的时间在家办公，与2023年的数据几乎持平。斯坦福大学经济 学家尼古拉斯·布卢姆认为，这一情况可能会长期存在。公司高层的态度也并不统一，部分管理者担心 严格执行规定会逼走核心人才。一家咨询公司今夏一项覆盖1500名全职员工的调查显示，近半数高层管 理人员愿意为了居家办公而接受降薪。 美国《华尔街日报》 9 月 21 日文章，原题： " 让员工坐班 " 计划进展不利 从微软到派拉蒙、再到NBC环球 等大型公司，都在试图提高员工到办公室坐班的出勤率，但这一设想的执行却不尽如人意。尽管公司高 层陆续推出更严格的规定，美国职场的整体到岗率几乎没有明显提升，不仅员工没有积极性，部分管理 者自己也不愿坐班。 工位不足、停车位紧张 从企业视角看来，推动员工返岗已成为趋势。《纽约时报》要求评论和新闻部门的员工从11月起必须每 周至少到岗四天，微软则计划从明年2月起要求部分办公室的员工每周三天到岗。派拉蒙和NBC环球媒 体公司的做法更为强硬，前者要求纽约和洛杉矶的员工从明年起必须全职到岗，否则接受"买断"，后者 也明确规定无法到岗者可申请"自愿离职补助"。今年以来，亚马逊、戴尔和摩根大通等 ...

A former top official in the Trump Administration, Makan Delrahim, is in advanced talks to join the newly merged Paramount Global in a major legal role, according to sources with direct knowledge. Delrahim, who served as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice during President Trump’s first term, has become one of David Ellison’s key advisors over the last few years.Since leaving government, Delrahim has been a partner at Latham & Watkins, where he leads the firm’s ...

突然之间，今年进口片的热门类型变成了恐怖片。 经过血腥镜头处理，且相对首映推迟三个月上映的《死神来了：血脉诅咒》，在国内预计将有近2亿的票房成绩。去年只有一部《异形：夺命舰》取得闪 耀佳绩，到今年《小鹿斑比：清算》《同甘共苦》《梅根2.0》如下饺子般涌现。 一直被主流评论家视为难登大雅之堂的恐怖片，现在成了"香饽饽"，甚至连奥斯卡都表现出拥抱姿态，在此之前只有《驱魔人》这般现象级经典才能冲破 规则，而去年《某种物质》《诺斯费拉图》《异形：夺命舰》都有了夺奖机会。 影片海报（图源：豆瓣) 进口片的这种变化背后跟好莱坞的供给大增密不可分，如今的好莱坞已经快被恐怖片"淹了"。 原本恐怖片只是小型独立电影公司的"聚宝盆"，因其往往成本低下，而受众牢固，容易出小爆款。但现在好莱坞大厂纷纷跑来分一杯羹，导致北美市场已 经很长一段时间几乎每周都有一部恐怖片上映。市场大盘也受到了恐怖片的带动，根据路透社独家汇编的Comscore数据显示，今年恐怖片占北美票房的 17%，高于2024年的11%和十年前的4%。 影片海报（图源：豆瓣） 这种现象的背后，跟好莱坞整体性颓靡不无关系。大片制片成本高，在影院票房水位下滑时风险更甚，恐怖 ...

Group 1 - Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) is preparing a majority cash bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD), which includes its cable networks and movie studio [2][3] - Warner Bros. stock surged to an all-time high of $17.24 during intra-day trading, closing up 28.95% at $16.17 [1][2] - The acquisition plan may trigger an antitrust investigation due to the size and nature of the merger, involving significant assets like HBO Max and the Harry Potter franchise [3] Group 2 - The acquisition follows the completion of Paramount and Skydance's $8.4 billion merger, which ended RedBird's 38-year control of Paramount [3] - Paramount Global's President and CEO Tom Ryan has stepped down and has been replaced by David Ellison [4]

Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront event in New York. Photographer: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images David Ellison spent two years trying to get his arms around Paramount Global before finally sealing an $8 billion takeover of that iconic Hollywood studio. Now, the son of Oracle Corp. co-founder Larry Ellison is after a bigger prize, the $71 billion Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. If the past few years of tumult in the media industry are a guide, his newly created Paramount Skydance Corp. will face a tortuous pa ...

Core Viewpoint - The potential merger between Paramount Sky Dance and Warner Brothers Discovery is generating significant market interest, with trading activity suggesting investor optimism despite the lack of official confirmation from either company [2][3][23]. Company Overview - Paramount Sky Dance has a diverse portfolio of franchises including Star Trek, Transformers, and Mission Impossible, and has secured a streaming contract for UFC fights to enhance its Paramount Plus platform [5][6]. - Warner Brothers Discovery boasts major franchises such as DC superhero movies, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones, along with extensive sports broadcasting rights including NHL and MLB [7][9]. Market Impact - The merger could nearly triple Paramount Plus's subscriber base, increasing from 77 million to approximately 202 million by acquiring Warner Brothers Discovery's 125 million subscribers [9]. - Warner Brothers Discovery was the second largest movie studio at the box office in the past year, while Paramount ranked fifth, indicating a significant potential for growth through the merger [9]. Regulatory Considerations - The merger may face regulatory scrutiny, particularly due to the combination of CBS News and CNN under one corporate umbrella, raising concerns about media bias and competition [8][14][15]. - Analysts have mixed views on the regulatory challenges, with some believing it will face minimal scrutiny while others anticipate significant hurdles [12][14]. Competitive Landscape - The merger would create a formidable competitor to ESPN, consolidating rights to major professional sports leagues including the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, which could streamline viewership for consumers [17][18]. - The consolidation may lead to higher prices for consumers, raising concerns about the impact on the market [19]. Employment Implications - The merger could result in job losses due to redundancy in similar business operations, particularly within competing streaming services [22].

Group 1 - Paramount Sky Dance is preparing to make a bid to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery following its recent merger with Paramount [1] - There were concerns that if Paramount did not act quickly, Warner Brothers Discovery might sell a 20% stake in its studio streaming operation, attracting additional bidders like Apple and Amazon [2][3] - Comcast is identified as a natural bidder for Warner Brothers Discovery, indicating potential competition in the bidding process [3] Group 2 - If Paramount successfully acquires Warner Brothers Discovery, it would position itself as the second-largest player in the global streaming landscape, closely following Amazon Prime, while still trailing behind Netflix's 300 million global subscribers [5] - The merger would significantly impact Disney Plus, potentially pushing it down to the third or fourth position when combining Hulu and ESPN subscribers [5] - The future of cable assets, such as CNN and TNT, remains uncertain, highlighting the complexities of integrating studio operations with cable assets [6] Group 3 - The news landscape is evolving, with significant interest in news organizations despite recent developments involving the Fox Murdoch family, which may lead to new deals in the news space if the Paramount-Warner deal proceeds [7][8]

Warner Bros. Discovery stock rallied for a second day on Friday, as investors weighed reports that Paramount Skydance is preparing a takeover bid that could reshape the US entertainment industry. ...

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Sky Dance is preparing an all-cash takeover bid for Warner Brothers Discovery, indicating a significant consolidation move in the media industry [1]. Group 1: Strategic Rationale - The acquisition is seen as a way to prevent competitors like Amazon or Netflix from acquiring Warner Brothers Discovery, suggesting a strategic urgency behind the bid [3]. - There is a belief that combining Warner's cable networks with Paramount's assets could create a scale that enhances competitiveness in the market [4]. - The leadership at Warner Discovery believes their assets are undervalued, and there is potential for a turnaround, which could make the acquisition more appealing [6]. Group 2: Streaming and Content Synergies - The merger could create a combined streaming subscriber base of approximately 200 million, positioning it as a strong competitor against Netflix and Disney [8]. - Warner Brothers holds valuable intellectual properties, including the DC franchise and popular shows like Friends, which Paramount lacks, making the acquisition strategically valuable for content expansion [9]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Political Considerations - The media landscape is shifting, with discussions around efficiency moves in news operations, potentially leading to job losses if the deal proceeds [12][13]. - There are indications that the Ellison family is positioning itself politically to facilitate the acquisition, suggesting a strategic alignment with regulatory considerations [15][17].