• by Wayne Friedman , 6 hours ago

Netflix, Paramount Skydance and Comcast Corp. have all sweetened their bids to buy Warner Bros. Discovery -- meeting the Monday deadline set by WBD, according to reports.

Specific financial details have not been disclosed.

As expected, Netflix is interested largely in WBD’s studio production business and streaming business, which include HBO Max and discovery+.

Comcast is also leaning toward buying just the studio production and streaming business.

Comcast has instituted plans to spin off its company into two elements -- with one to house its studio production business, streaming and NBC Television Network, and its Bravo cable network. The other company, named Versant Media, will house cable networks including USA Network, CNBC, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and Golf Channel.

For Paramount, bids include buying the entire company -- including WBD's CBS Television Network and its declining cable TV network business.

One report last week suggested that Netflix be most favored by the company going forward.

Another report said federal officials at the antitrust division of the Justice Department are concerned that Netflix ownership of WBD’s HBO Max would give the top premium streaming platform too much marketplace leverage and power in the streaming industry.

WBD representatives did not respond to Television News Daily inquiries by press time.