The critical reception of the controversial buyout of 20th Century Fox by Disney has now heated up even more with members of the United States government now also voicing their concerns regarding the $52.4 billion deal that was officially announced on Thursday.The deal has been subject to widespread controversy from a variety of news outlets such as Forbes and unions who have cited issues with the deal under the concern that this could very well be in violation of anti-trust laws. A concern that is shared with and isn’t lost on two of the ranking members of the United States Senate anti-trust committee. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and David Cicilline (D-RI) have both requested that their respective committees to conduct an investigation into the proposed deal. Senator Klobuchar referred to the deal as “another industry-changing merger, which would have major implications in television, film, and media,” saying “I’m concerned about the impact of this transaction on American consumers.”
Senator Cicilline contribute to the argument by stating that “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,” said Cicilline. “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.” and that the country is “in a monopoly moment.”
If the investigation goes through and it’s found to be illegal then a separate guarantee made per the negotiations between Disney and Fox executives will go into effect.
Could the supporters of this buyout who are clamoring to see the Star Wars franchise restored completely unedited and a complete Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men and Fantastic Four and all, be celebrating prematurely? Let us know in the comments section down below!
