Paramount Caught Using 'Astroturf' Group to Drum Up Fake Support for Merger

Paramount has been caught using a fake grassroots organization called "Neighbors for Strong Communities" to generate artificial public support for its $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers, sending text messages to California residents urging them to pressure the state's attorney general to drop his antitrust lawsuit. The organization, formed only three months ago by industry lobbyists, refuses to disclose its founders, funders, or board members, and operates from a UPS store mailbox—classic indicators of an astroturf campaign. This deceptive tactic reflects Paramount's broader pattern of aggressive and dishonest behavior to push through a merger that critics warn will harm labor, consumers, and market competition.