Netflix bid for Warner Bros draws antitrust warnings

(The Center Square) – Netflix’s attempt to buy major assets from Warner Bros Discovery is already facing criticism from Republican lawmakers who say the proposed deal could raise significant antitrust concerns. U.S. Sen. Mike Lee said on X that the reported bid “would raise serious competition questions – perhaps more so than any transaction I’ve seen in about a decade.” Lee leads the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, which would oversee any congressional review. U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., have also raised early concerns. They say federal regulators should closely examine any deal that could further concentrate power in the streaming and entertainment markets. “With more than 300 million global subscribers and a vast content library, Netflix currently wields unequaled market power,” Issa wrote in a statement. “Adding both HBO Max’s subscribers and Warner Bros.’ premier content rights wou