Commentary: A plea to Netflix's Ted Sarandos: Don't screw up Warner Bros. and HBO

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Dear Ted Sarandos,Congratulations on making the winning bid for Warner Bros.By directly contradicting your famous “build don’t buy” mantra, you have managed to throw the already beleaguered entertainment industry into an apoplectic meltdown, and just in time for the holidays!On the plus side, the thought of Paramount’s David Ellison throwing a nepo-baby “but I want it” tantrum when he heard the news has provided a fair amount grim delight.Just not enough, I’m afraid, to assuage the overwhelming outrage and fear, currently being voiced by many, that you will personally not be content until every movie theater is shuttered, every other network/streaming service consumed, forcing every person in the world to watch only Netflix via a crystal embedded in their hand like something out of “Logan’s Run.” (Which is not available on Netflix, so perhaps you haven’t seen it.) Hollywood Inc.

A theater owner trade group immediately blasted Netflix’s nearly $83-billion deal to buy Warner Bros.and HBO.

Netflix has long bypassed movie theaters, instead releasing films onto its streaming platform.In other words, a lot of people, including thousands who actually make film and television, are not happy, not happy at all, Precious.(Including the stock market, where Netflix fell after the deal was announced.)Indeed, there is a chance that your purchase of Warner Bros., which includes HBO and HBO Max, will not go through; it inarguably gives you a monopoly in streaming and since HBO, like Netflix, is a global company, the deal will be scrutinized by regulatory agencies at home and abroad.

All of which will take some time, so Netflix subscribers shouldn’t cancel their HBO Max subscriptions just yet.On the other hand, there are far too many streaming platforms (as evidence, I give you my credit card bill) and everyone has been saying for years now that only a few can survive...