Comic book nerds may be ecstatic about the news that Disney’s buying most of 21st Century Fox, but all the Democrats on the Senate and House antitrust subcommittees are only thinking about the implications of one giant conglomerate controlling all of media.
According to Variety, top Democrats have voice their concerns about the merger, which could potentially violate antitrust laws. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary antitrust committee says: “I’m concerned about the impact of this transaction on American consumer,” stating that this was just “another industry-changing merger, which would have major implications in television, film, and media.”
Klobucher has reportedly asked chairmen of the antitrust subcommittee and the Judiciary Committee, respectively, to schedule a meeting discussion the topic at hand. Representative David Cicilline (D-R.I.) of the House Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee, has asked called for an investigation. Discussing the matter, he said:
“Disney’s proposed purchase of 21st Century Fox threatens to put control of TV, movie, and news content into the hands of a single media giant. If it’s approved, this merger could allow Disney to limit what consumers can watch and increase their cable bills. Disney will gain more than 300 channels, 22 regional sports networks, control over Hulu, and a significant portion of Roku.”
Disney recently acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, making the climate in Hollywood, making it hard to compete with films that aren’t Marvel or Star Wars. If you haven’t been paying attention, The Simpsons has called this merger years ago.