Jared Kushner’s private equity firm has reportedly stepped back from previous efforts to take over the entertainment giant Warner Bros Discovery, following scrutiny of his involvement.Affinity Partners emerged as a key backer of a $108.4bn hostile bid by Paramount Skydance for control of WBD. Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, set up Affinity.Paramount, controlled by the billionaire Ellison family, is attempting to sink a $82.7bn deal WBD struck to sell its storied Warner Bros movie studios, pr ...

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance is preparing a takeover offer for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) to consolidate two major US media conglomerates and Hollywood studios [1][2] Group 1: Takeover Bid Details - Paramount is planning a majority cash bid for WBD, supported by the Ellison family [2] - Following the news, shares in WBD increased by up to 34% [2] Group 2: Company Background - WBD owns significant media assets, including Warner Bros studios, CNN, DC Comics, and several TV networks like HBO [2] - Paramount owns Paramount Pictures and TV broadcasters such as CBS in the US and Channel 5 in the UK [3] Group 3: Recent Strategic Moves by Ellison - David Ellison has quickly made strategic moves since taking control of Paramount, including a $7.7 billion deal for UFC broadcasting rights and exclusive contracts with the Duffer brothers and Activision for a Call of Duty movie [4] - Decisions regarding CBS News, a major news operation, have come under scrutiny, particularly related to a settlement with Donald Trump over a controversial interview [5][6] Group 4: Implications for Media Landscape - The potential acquisition of WBD raises questions about the future of CNN, which has faced criticism from Trump regarding its coverage [8]