The documentary film community is in a state of concern as the impending Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger threatens to impact access to archival footage, particularly from CBS News and CNN. This merger, if successful, would give Paramount control over a vast archive of news footage, raising fears of restricted access and potential censorship. The concern is especially heightened among documentary filmmakers working on projects that might be perceived as critical of President Donald Trump or his administration.
Sam Pollard, a veteran doc editor/producer/director, warns that the merger will have a significant impact on the industry, both financially and politically. The appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News, which critics argue has coincided with a more conservative shift in the network's coverage, further adds to the community's worries. Access to archival footage from CBS News and CNN could become more difficult, especially for projects that might be deemed critical of Trump or his administration.
The Archival Producers Alliance has reported that CNN Collection, the content licensing arm of CNN Worldwide, laid off seven of its eight licensing staff members in April. This move has raised concerns about the future of access to CNN's vast archive of news footage. Archival producer Christine Fall, who has worked on documentaries like Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' and Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli's 'Lakota Nation vs. United States', worries that the merger will disrupt access to CNN's archival collection, which she describes as 'special and important'.
The archives of CNN, CBS, ABC, and NBC News are controlled by commercial licensing systems, giving rights holders discretion over how their archival material is licensed. This process can lead to restrictions on access and editorial control, as seen in the past when corporate consolidation has reduced and politicized access to archival news footage. The APA, an organization representing over 650 producers worldwide, has warned that the merger could result in restricted access to important news footage and raise questions about editorial control.
Rachel Antell, another APA co-founder, points to the Walt Disney Company's policy in 2019, which restricted the licensing of its aired stories and footage featuring its reporters and anchors to only Disney-owned outlets. This policy, which was ultimately reversed, denied access to national stories for dozens of documentaries. The APA's concerns are shared by documentary researcher and producer Juan Andrés Bello, who believes that the consolidation of archival houses will impact research and the dissemination of knowledge globally.
The APA has endorsed the Future Film Coalition's Block the Merger Campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the adverse impacts of the merger. However, the UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy decided not to block the merger in August. In the US, a federal antitrust trial is scheduled to begin in March 2027, following a lawsuit filed by 12 state attorneys general, which has led to Paramount agreeing to delay closing the deal until June 1, 2027.
Christine Fall concludes that the trend in the industry is closing access, minimizing access, and adding gatekeepers for all archives. This consolidation of power in the hands of a few large companies is concerning for the documentary film community, which relies on access to archival footage for its work. The future of storytelling and the dissemination of knowledge is at stake, and the documentary film community is fighting to preserve access to these essential resources.
