Skydance CEO Ellison: Merger Is Media's Answer to Big Tech
David Ellison said the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery company, now called Skydance, fixes mistakes media made when big tech moved in.
David Ellison, CEO of the merged Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery company now called Skydance, said the combination is the solution to media companies that failed to pivot fast enough when big tech entered their space a decade ago. He spoke after executives rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, according to CNBC.
The Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger closed on Tuesday, creating the company that now operates under the Skydance name.
Ellison said the combined company produces about 30 movies a year and more than 180 series.
Skydance is also unifying ad sales across its platforms, and its product and tech teams are working to do the same for backend tech stacks.
Big tech's move into media
Ellison said big tech took platform technology and pushed into media starting about ten years ago, a shift he pointed to as the reason the merger was needed.
Quick answers
What is the merged Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery company called?
The merged company is now called Skydance.
When did the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger close?
The merger closed on Tuesday.
How much content does the combined company produce?
Ellison said it produces about 30 movies a year and over 180 series.