First Elon Musk, now Larry Ellison: The world’s richest men are buying huge media companies — because they can
Summary
Larry Ellison is backing his son David in bids for major Hollywood assets — notably Paramount (already bought) and now a move on Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The piece draws a clear parallel with Elon Musk’s 2022 purchase of Twitter: ultra-wealthy individuals can acquire influential media platforms largely because they have the personal capital to do so, insulating deals from typical market or shareholder constraints.
The article highlights that while the Ellison bid differs from Musk’s takeover (no obvious ideological blueprint yet), the practical outcome is similar: private billionaires can buy major information and entertainment outlets with little effective competition. What the Ellisons would do with combined Paramount/WBD assets is unclear, and regulatory hurdles seem surmountable given political ties.
Key Points
- Larry Ellison is financing his son David’s push to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery shortly after buying Paramount.
- There are strong parallels to Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter: wealthy bidders can price out rivals and ignore shareholder resistance.
- WBD’s market price jumped after news of the Ellison-backed interest, a change the Ellisons can absorb and which may deter other bidders.
- Unlike Musk, the Ellisons haven’t presented a clear ideological plan for running media assets; ownership intentions remain speculative.
- Political connections and donations could make regulatory approval easier than for other buyers.
- A combined Paramount/WBD would concentrate vast entertainment and news properties under a privately controlled owner, with unpredictable consequences for content, distribution and journalism.
Context and relevance
This story matters because it illustrates a growing trend: extreme personal wealth now allows individuals to reshape major media infrastructure almost at will. That changes incentives, accountability and the balance between commercial, editorial and political priorities in news and entertainment. For anyone following media consolidation, regulation of big tech and media influence on public discourse, the Ellison moves are a major signal of how power is concentrating.
Why should I read this?
Because billionaires buying entire media empires isn’t just a celebrity headline—it changes what news you see, what films get made, and who controls distribution. This short read saves you time by pulling the Musk comparison, the market mechanics, and the political/regulatory angle into one clear take.
Author style
Punchy: the piece frames the story as a striking repeat of a recent pattern (Musk) and flags the real-world consequences without pretending the outcome is predictable. If you care about media power or public-information ecosystems, this is worth your attention.