A group calling itself Neighbors for Strong Communities has been sending Californians text messages urging them to pressure state Attorney General Rob Bonta to drop his antitrust suit against the Paramount-Warner merger, according to a report from the Intercept. Consumer groups say the organization shows the marks of a fake public campaign, or “astroturf,” built to make the merger look more popular than it is.
The Text Messages
The messages, sent to Californians this week, warn that Bonta’s opposition to the merger could cost the state thousands of jobs. That claim ties back to a reported threat from Ellison to move Paramount to Texas if California moves ahead with antitrust law against the deal.
Who’s Behind It
The Committee For The First Amendment is a coalition of consumer rights groups. It says it discloses its own money sources. The Committee says Neighbors for Strong Communities was formed only three months ago by industry lobbyists, and it refuses to disclose its donors. The Committee also found several other warning signs:
- Its website is less than three months old
- It discloses no founders, board members, workers, or backers
- It does not appear in ProPublica’s charity database
- Its recently updated address, 1902-A Lincoln Blvd, Suite 1314, Santa Monica, CA, is a private PO Box at a UPS store
A Campaign Built From Nothing
The Committee said these are marks of an effort backed by a company, designed to fake the appearance of public opposition. As is often the case with such groups, there is little to connect the messages directly to Paramount, allowing both sides to describe the campaign as real.
Other Pressure Tactics
This isn’t the only forceful move tied to the deal. The company has threatened to leave California if the state moves against it under antitrust law, and has run PR and press leak campaigns, said to involve Trump allies, pushing claims about why more media joining together is good for the country.
The Stakes for Californians
The Paramount and Warner Brothers merger has been described as bad for labor, artists, consumers, and trade. Mergers of this size, especially ones involving Warner, have in the past led to job cuts, higher prices, and weaker shows and films as the combined company works to pay down merger debt.
Nothing in the deal would stop Ellison from moving film and TV production abroad.
That change is already happening across Hollywood.
Fees, Threats, and What Follows
Fees tied to the deal are set to begin within about three weeks. Whether Paramount presses forward or walks away, the astroturf campaign has already added another point to a merger fight already defined by threats, denials, and unanswered questions about who is really speaking for Californians.
Source: techdirt.com
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