November 13, 2025: WSJ: Paramount, Comcast, Netflix Preps Bids for Warner, Verizon Eyes Job Cuts, More

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
News when you want it with Bloomberg News Now, I'm
Doug Krisner. Several bidders have lined up to take over
all or part of Warner Brothers Discovery. The Wall Street
Journal reports Paramount sky Dance, as well as Comcast and
Netflix are preparing offers now. Paramount remains committed to buying
the entire company. However, Comcast and Netflix are said to
be interested in the Warner Brothers movie and TV studios,

(00:24):
as well as the HBO Max streaming service, but not
Warner's cable TV holdings. We got reaction from Ross Gerber
of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
What I think Comcasts and Netflix are doing now is
going to make it really hard for Paramount to do
this and very expensive for them, because I don't think
they want Warner Brothers at all, or they would have
tried to buy them earlier. So you know, basically, Ellison's
got himself into a pickle because they know if they
let him have Warner Brothers too cheap, then it's a
real competitor to them. A lot of people in Hollywood

(00:57):
think that Ellison and this Paramount sky Dances going to
be like the next Disney you know, and so people
are scared of him, and they're going to make it
very expensive for him.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
That is Ross Gerber of Gerbert Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management.
Verizon is discussing plans to announce job cuts across the
entire company next week. We are told up to twenty
thousand workers that would represent twenty percent of Horizon could
be impacted. Now, this is a major step in a
transformation led by new CEO Dan Shulman. The dismissals are

(01:28):
expected to extend to employees at every level and in
every part of Verizon's business. I meantime, the Trump administration
is readying substantial tariff cuts to address high food prices.
The administration has unveiled a framework for agreements with Argentina, Guatemala,
El Salvador, and Ecuador to reduce tariffs on common grocery items.

(01:50):
The BBC has issued an apology to President Trump over
video editing in a documentary that featured Trump's speech on
January sixth, twenty twenty one. The BBC has no plans
to rebroadcast this program. Earlier, lawyers for Trump threatened to
file a lawsuit seeking a billion dollars in damages. If
the BBC didn't issue an apology, retract the documentary and

(02:13):
compensate the president. The BBC rejected demands for compensation, with
a broadcaster saying it disagrees with the basis of that
defamation claim. Federal employees return to work today after President
Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the government. However,
the reopening still leaves a fight over rising health care
cost unresolved. Here is Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Altelita Grijalva.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
Republicans have had critical things to say about the Affordable
Care Act since its inception in twenty ten. They have
had fifteen years to work on a better plan. All
they do is throw stones at it, but don't actually
come to the table with any real solutions. So I
don't think it's the Democrat's responsibility to come up with
a solution that.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
They don't see.

Speaker 3 (03:00):
If we want to work to improve the ACA, I'm
all for that. Universal healthcare iding should be the base
of what the American people deserve.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Newly installed Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Aldelita Grijalva. Meantime, lawmakers are
set to discuss banning themselves from trading stocks. We have
that story from Bloomberg Sammy Morrison, Washington.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
The House Administration Committee will meet Wednesday, November nineteenth to
discuss congressional stock trading as momentum builds around a build
of bar lawmakers from the practice. The hearing will highlight
the increased appetite in both parties to end the perception
of insider trading, with proponents of a band saying it
would help boost Americans trust in Congress, but the effort
to ban stock trading still faces significant obstacles in both chambers.

(03:44):
Opponents argue that barring trading and individual shares would be
a disincentive for potential congressional candidates in Washington. Amy Moore
as Bloomberg Radio.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
Blue Origin successfully launched its second flight of the New
Glen rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Its New Glen's first
NASA mission, and no humans were on board. This mission
is carrying two Rocket Lab built spacecraft on a trajectory
toward Mars. A few minutes after lift off, the rocket's

(04:21):
lower portions successfully separated from its upper stage, which continued
on its journey. The booster fell back to Earth, where
it fired engines to slow itself down before landing on
a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean. Recent intelligence assessments show
Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of reaching a
peace deal with Ukraine. Britain's former chief spy Richard Moore

(04:43):
told Bloomberg that Putin needs to be put under more
pressure in order for a deal. Meantime, Ukrainian President Vladimir
Zelensky implored the European Union to overcome its divisions on
the use of frozen Russian assets. Zelensky said new funding
is critical for Kiev to stay in the fight against Moscow.

Speaker 5 (05:01):
They understand that we need their support and if I
hope God bless, we will get this decision. But they
will not have this decision. Of course, we together will
find out. We have to find Autonomy is the question
of what we're surviving. That's why we need it very
much and I count on partner.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
You can hear the full conversation with Ukrainian President Volodimir
Zelenski on the Bloomberg Talks podcast and that is news
when you want it with Bloomberg News. Now. I'm Doug Krisner,
and this is Bloomberg