Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $111bn takeover

Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $111bn takeover5 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleArchie MitchellBusiness reporterGetty ImagesWarner Bros Discovery shareholders have approved the company's $111bn (£82bn) takeover by Paramount in a deal which could drastically alter the media landscape.The deal will see Skydance owner Paramount take control of all of Warner Bros' titles and channels, which include Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and news network CNN."With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community," Warner Bros chair Samuel DiPiazza said.The deal still needs approval from the US Department of Justice and European competition regulators.The shareholders' backing of the deal follows a dramatic months-long saga, following an earlier takeover bid for Warner Bros by Netflix, which the streaming service later withdrew after Paramount submitted a rival, higher offer.Paramount, which is looking to transform itself into a Hollywood heavyweight, is backed by tech billionaire Larry Ellison and led by his son David.Ellison, chief executive and chairman of Paramount and a major Republican donor, is hosting a dinner with Trump on Thursday at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington DC.Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo is expected to join protesters outside the building to demonstrate against what organisers have described as a "corruption gala", given the regulatory hurdles still facing the companies. The protesters have also raised concerns about how the Ellisons' ownership of CNN will impact the news network.Trump has frequently attacked CNN over its reporting of his policies. He said in December that he believed the news network should be sold as part of any Warner Bros takeover.He called CNN's bosses "corrupt or incompetent" and said they should not be entrusted to run the network.Hollywood star...