US District Court Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin approved a settlement on Wednesday, giving media giant Paramount the green light to complete its $110bn acquisition of entertainment company Warner Bros. The deal, one of the largest media mergers in history, had raised concerns about corporate consolidation and editorial independence.

The settlement, reached with 12 states led by California that had sued to block the merger, requires Paramount to commit to 30 theatrical film releases per year in the US for five years. It also mandates separate negotiations with cable providers for Warner-owned and Paramount-owned channels. Additionally, a five-member panel will be created to safeguard the editorial independence of CNN and CBS.

However, critics point out that the merger places a significant portion of US media under the control of David Ellison, Paramount's CEO, who is responsible for appointing members to the news independence board. Senator Elizabeth Warren stated that allowing a "Trump-aligned, foreign-owned conglomerate to dominate American news and entertainment is a disastrous outcome."

Paramount won control of Warner Bros's holdings, including Warner Bros Pictures, CNN, and HBO Max, in February after a bidding war with Netflix. The Trump administration approved the deal without alterations in June.