# What if: Disney and Viacom merge.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 22, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927 "2018-11-22T00:42:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CastletonSnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ea924/32.png) [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/1 "2018-11-22T00:42:50Z")

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With all the companies Disney has bought lately, it got me to thinking. Say, hypothetically, that Disney and Viacom merged. What would be the results?

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/2 "2018-11-22T00:52:30Z")

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Viacom would be assimilated; resistance would be futile.

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**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/3 "2018-11-22T01:34:56Z")

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One company would own the rights to both Star Wars and Star Trek and they could make a Star Wars vs Star trek film. I’m actually a fan of both; but just the thought of that film makes me want vomit.

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/4 "2018-11-22T01:38:02Z")

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^ Pass the barf bag, _mon ami_!

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**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/5 "2018-11-22T01:40:15Z")

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I’m pretty sure that the FCC would have something to say about it, since Disney owns ABC & Viacom owns CBS. It likely wouldn’t be approved unless one company sold off it’s broadcast operations first.

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**Author:** ![CastletonSnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ea924/32.png) [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/6 "2018-11-22T01:49:17Z")

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> [@muldoonthief](#):
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> I’m pretty sure that the FCC would have something to say about it, since Disney owns ABC & Viacom owns CBS. It likely wouldn’t be approved unless one company sold off it’s broadcast operations first.

Does Viacom still own CBS?

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-disney-and-viacom-merge/824927/7 "2018-11-22T02:35:03Z")

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> [@CastletonSnob](#):
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> Does Viacom still own CBS?

No, the old Viacom was split into two separate companies in 2005; the CBS Corporation, which owns the broadcasting network, and the new version of Viacom. But National Amusements owns the majority of the shares of both CBS and Viacom.