Prof G Markets U.S. & China Strike TikTok Deal? Paramount’s WBD Bid & Robinhood’s New Social Platform
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Sep 16, 2025 
Rich Greenfield, co-founder of LightShed Partners and a media/tech analyst, joins to dissect the intriguing dynamics of the potential Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger. He highlights the strategic implications of David Ellison's all-cash bid while unpacking the entertainment industry's competitive landscape. The discussion also tackles the geopolitical ramifications surrounding TikTok's future amid a U.S.-China deal and dives into Robinhood's new social platform, raising questions about market manipulation and the financial literacy of younger investors.
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TikTok Deal Is Still Undefined
- The U.S. and China announced a vague framework to avoid a TikTok ban but provided no deal terms or timing.
- Uncertainty remains until legal text or an executed divestment agreement is released.
Legal Certainty Trumps Political Headlines
- Alan Rosenstein warned the administration's language makes it impossible to know how close a real TikTok deal is.
- He emphasized you need actual deal text and a legally executed divestment to be confident.
TikTok As Diplomatic Leverage
- Rosenstein notes TikTok gives China negotiating leverage because China cares less about ByteDance profits.
- He questions what the U.S. might trade away to secure a deal.