Financing / Crowdfunding : Saudi company emerges as frontrunner to buy Warner Bros. Discovery by Amanda Toney

I'm not sure if the rumors are true, but I've been seeing a lot about this, Amanda Toney.

From financing Hollywood mini-studios to building massive infrastructures in the Middle East, it's not surprising to see Saudi Arabia throw their name in the hat. They have been making major investments for the past decade. But do they have a strategy for expansion or is it purely a prestige play to add an iconic brand to their portfolio?

Does nothing for my bank account.

Smart PR move, but I don't see it going beyond that. Rumors are Comcast is in the lead at the moment, but, personally, I don't believe that either...yet.

Should add, if it does end up being PIF, that would be a seismic event which would only accelerate what we're already seeing in the international marketplace.

I'd say most certainly major news rumors or not! Industrial eyebrows are now in retrospective! Public relations factors will have to be paid close attention to, as this will alert investors etc.

Generally draws all attention to scenarios before not considered.

The comments and post of course reflects international educated levels here at Stage 32!

Interesting development as Saudi Arabia pushes hard into film and television production.

And many interests there hiring and using Stage 32 Certification, Jack Binder

Amanda Toney personally, I can’t see it getting past your government’s scrutiny of an American company being owned by a Saudi entity. Unless of course there’s a kick-back!! It doesn’t seem like a very good fit. There’s also the Saudi money being tainted by restrictive social policies towards women and the link between this money source and the funding of terrorist organisations. Or is that a rabbit hole we don’t want to go down?

dont think it will pass through as it relates to being 100% Saudi owned

Amanda Toney Geoff Hall Barbara L Gray This is definitely one of those discussions that can easily offend people from either side of the argument, whether it’s regarding the U.S. or Saudi Arabia.

The real question here is why they’re even considering selling such a prominent company in the first place. You’ve got a Warner CEO who was paid total compensation of $51.9 million in 2024, $49.7 million in 2023, $39.3 million in 2022, and around $246 million in 2021. What exactly is he being paid these sums for? Is it to run the company into the ground, bankrupt it, and then put it up for sale? With all its resources, Warner’s only solution seems to be a sale. This could be a clear example of how bad management can destroy a company.

What’s particularly interesting is the article mentions, “Any sale would require approval from the Trump administration, along with review by European regulators....”

This seems almost laughable. Trump has far too many business and financial ties to Saudi Arabia to make an unbiased decision here. The Trump brand has been licensed for luxury developments in Saudi Arabia, including Trump Tower Jeddah, Trump Plaza Jeddah, and multiple projects in Riyadh, all in partnership with major Saudi developers.

The same PIF looking to acquire Warner also invested over $2 billion in Jared Kushner’s private equity fund, which generates more than $125 million in management fees for him. And, let’s not forget Trump’s golf courses, which have become key venues for LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed league funded by the PIF. These are strategic investments by the Saudis, and one could argue they might leverage these connections to influence U.S. policy in their favor.

If Trump is the one to make the decision, I don’t see him wanting to offend the Saudis—not with so many business interests in the region. This isn’t just a Trump issue. I’m not aware of any recent U.S. administration that has had particularly strained relations with the Saudis. While the public may generally object to a Saudi takeover, it’s hard to see how that matters. The public is not in a position to make these decisions, and regulators are also susceptible to the same influence. Foreign groups and organizations actively lobby in the U.S. to sway policymakers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the PIF successfully acquires Warner.

It’s easy to understand why the Saudis would be interested in buying a company that owns CNN. Controlling CNN would align with Saudi Arabia’s broader objectives and give them significant influence over global media narratives.

Admittedly! There are technicalities! Will this then, give rise to other Saudi Co. initiatives and even further,.. local “business competition”, plighting and plying for investments?....The world of entertainment is something else!?

There goes those mentioned eyebrows again!