The FTC Will Decide Whether to Challenge the Amazon-MGM Merger
The FTC is set to decide over the next few weeks whether to bring an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon’s planned merger with MGM. The Information reported this evening that the U.S. regulator is exploring actions that include hiring expert witnesses.
The $8.45 billion deal was announced last May, around the same time as WarnerMedia-Discovery. The latter merger has the DOJ’s blessing and is on track to close early in the second quarter. But regulators put Amazon on notice last July that they were investigating its acquisition of the storied studio.
Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service is free for subscribers of Amazon Prime, the world’s biggest customer loyalty program and the heart of Amazon’s commerce business. MGM’s library, with more than 4,000 films including the James Bond and Rocky franchises, and 17,000 TV shows, would significantly enhance Prime Video. Amazon Studios is behind The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel among others and will debut the first season of its new Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power in September.
