A former California attorney general says California should carefully review Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery rather than automatically resist the transaction. In commentary shared June 1, 2026, Bill Lockyer—who served as California’s attorney general—argues that the state is right to scrutinize the approximately $111 billion deal. He frames the issue as a matter of due diligence: review should be thorough because the transaction would have major implications for media, culture, and competition. At the same time, he emphasizes that a careful review should not be equated with presumptive opposition. The remarks focus on the need for an evidence-based process rather than an outcome predetermined by the size or visibility of the merger. Across the coverage, the central point is that California’s role in reviewing large corporate combinations should involve deliberate assessment of potential effects, including but not limited to market power and public interest considerations. The articles do not indicate any change to the state’s formal review procedures, but they underscore the expectation of an impartial evaluation.