Inside the Freelance Frontier: How the Paramount-WBD Merger Could Reshape Creative Careers Forever

Ever feel like the entertainment industry’s latest mega-merger is less about the glitz and more like a high-stakes game of musical chairs—and guess who might be left standing without a seat? The Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery union is shaking up Hollywood to the tune of $110 billion, with legal battles and state attorneys general stepping into the ring, all while the folks who actually bring the magic to life—the freelancers—are watching from the sidelines, wondering: “What’s my future in this new setup?” When giants combine, does it mean less creativity, fewer gigs, and diminished bargaining power for writers, editors, photographers, and every freelancer caught in the crossfire? And here’s a real kicker—while the merger settlement dolled out some protections, freelancers didn’t quite get the VIP treatment. So, before you tune out thinking this is just another corporate saga, let’s unpack why freelancers need a collective voice now more than ever—because when the big guys merge, the little guys better find a way to join the conversation… or risk disappearing in the credits. LEARN MORE.

If you’ve had a hard time keeping up with the latest on the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, it’s because it feels like every day has a new development. But beneath the legal back-and-forth is a much bigger question for our members: what happens to freelancers when the companies that hire them consolidate?

The proposed roughly $110 billion deal would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and two major owners of cable networks. A coalition of 12 state attorneys general sued to block the merger, alleging that reduced competition would harm workers, consumers, and businesses.

Last week, the attorneys general reached a proposed settlement with Paramount. The agreement includes significant worker and industry protections: a $47.5 million fund for workers affected by the merger, commitments around collective bargaining agreements, increased domestic film and television production, and minimum theatrical-release requirements. The settlement is still subject to court approval, and outside groups have challenged it, so the merger’s final path remains unsettled.

Still, it seems likely the merger will move forward, even if additional concessions are made by Paramount.

There is a critical gap in this series of consequential events: independent workers. 

So, what does this mean for freelancers?

Freelancers are a critical part of the entertainment industry – from writers, to producers, editors, designers, photographers, and countless other crew members. The proposed settlement does not provide comparable guarantees around freelance work, rates, or contract terms. And when companies consolidate, freelancers face a basic problem: fewer potential buyers for their work. 

Consolidation matters because competition impacts both consumers and what they pay, but how workers retain control over their work. For independent workers, having multiple companies competing for their talent can affect where they find work and the leverage they have to negotiate rates, contracts, and working conditions. The New York Attorney General’s lawsuit specifically alleged the merger would reduce competition for workers and artists. 

Freelancers cannot be an afterthought in decisions that reshape entire industries. 

The workers who create the films, television, journalism, and culture that these companies profit from increasingly include people outside of traditional employment. Their interests deserve representation when government and corporations negotiate the future of these industries. 

At Freelancers Union, we believe that independent workers need a collective voice in these critical changes that reshape our economy. 

When corporations consolidate, freelancers need collective power, too.