A U.S. judge ordered Paramount and the state attorneys general seeking to block its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to attend a two-day settlement conference on Oct. 14–15. California Attorney General Rob Bonta previously canceled a scheduled meeting after accusing Paramount of leaking details from an earlier discussion, an allegation the company denied. Under the merger agreement, Paramount would owe a $7 million-a-day ticking fee starting Oct. 1 if the deal has not closed. The court will also hold a Sept. 24 hearing on Paramount’s bid to require plaintiffs to post a $1.88 billion bond tied to that fee.

The U.S. Supreme Court has given California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other Democratic-state attorneys general two weeks to respond to Iowa and Montana’s challenge to their lawsuit aimed at blocking the $111 billion Paramount–WBD merger. The deadline lands as the blue-state coalition is set to oppose Paramount’s request for a $1.88 billion bond before a federal judge in Oakland. It also comes just days before a $7 million-per-day ticking fee to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders is scheduled to take effect, according to Deadline.

Apple executive John Ternus made his first appearance as CEO at the company’s annual product event, unveiling the foldable iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18. The iPhone Duo’s unfolded display is 80% larger than the current Pro model and 50% larger than the Max edition, and it carries a $1,999 price tag with preorders opening on October 16. Ternus took over as CEO on September 1, succeeding Tim Cook, who moved to become EVP of the Apple board. Apple said the iPhone 18 is designed to pair AI features with a user’s personal context.

Netflix raised subscription prices in the UK starting Sept. 3, lifting its Standard with Ads plan to £7.99 a month from £5.99, a 33.4% increase. The Standard plan rose to £13.99 from £12.99, while Premium increased to £20.99 from £18.99. Netflix has more than 18M subscribers in the UK.

Disney is offering a voluntary early-retirement package to longtime senior executives as part of its cost-cutting effort, with additional layoffs planned. The company previously said in April it would eliminate about 1,000 roles and cut several hundred more positions in July, with Pixar and National Geographic among the hardest-hit groups. Disney’s CEO and CFO have recently reiterated that cost optimization will continue as the company prioritizes investment in growth areas such as content, technology and experiences.

Canal+ reported first-half revenue of €4.29 billion, up 40%, boosted by its $2B acquisition of Africa’s MultiChoice. Excluding MultiChoice, revenue growth was 1.4% year on year. Adjusted EBIT rose 68% to €433M with a 10.1% margin, and Canal+ said it has reached €250M in synergies from the takeover. The results underline the group’s Africa expansion strategy and are seen as supportive for its listed parent (SUS).

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she is “minded” to intervene in Paramount’s $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, a step that could open a formal regulatory review. If the deal does not close by the end of September, Paramount has committed to pay WBD shareholders a ticking fee of 25 cents a share per quarter—about $650M—for each quarter beyond Q3. The article also identifies Netflix as a past potential bidder for WBD and says its interest previously triggered greater concern among UK politicians, making current regulatory delays a more salient point of comparison.

Paramount has submitted concessions to the European Commission as it seeks clearance for its $111B acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, aimed at easing antitrust concerns. The Commission confirmed the filing and set a new provisional decision deadline of July 22, extended from July 7. In the UK, Culture Minister Louise Nandy said she was minded to intervene and is assessing the deal on media plurality grounds, while the Competition and Markets Authority continues a separate investigation.

Dish DBS, the satellite TV business owned by EchoStar, filed for Chapter 11 protection on Tuesday in federal bankruptcy court in Houston. The company said the filing is part of a prepackaged restructuring plan supported by 88% of Dish bondholders. Dish has faced mounting debt and litigation, while a delayed $20 billion spectrum sale to AT&T added to liquidity pressure. EchoStar, which merged with Dish in 2024, has also been working to manage $25 billion in debt as Dish’s subscriber base has shrunk to 5 million satellite users plus 2 million Sling TV users.