Category: Charlotte, North Carolina Local News

Plentiful sunshine returns this weekend, but get ready for a chilly & cloudy start to the workweek.

NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix is declining to raise its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business, in a stunning move that effectively puts Paramount in a position to take over the fellow storied Hollywood giant.

On Thursday, after Warner’s board announced that Skydance-owned Paramount’s offer was superior to the agreement it had previously struck with Netflix, the streaming giant said the new price that would be required to buy Warner would make it a deal that is “no longer financially attractive.”

Unlike Netflix’s bid, Paramount wants all of Warner’s operations, including networks like CNN and Discovery. That would put CNN under the same roof as Paramount’s CBS and combine two of Hollywood’s last five remaining studios.

The owner of HBO Max, DC Studios and popular titles like “Harry Potter” had backed Netflix’s proposal for months. But after Skydance-owned Paramount upped its rival bid for the entire company to $31 per share, in addition to other revisions, Warner’s board on Thursday said that the offer “constitutes a ‘company superior proposal.’”

A Paramount buyout Warner’s business would vastly reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape. Paramount’s CBS has seen significant editorial shifts, notably with the installation of Free Press founder Bari Weiss at CBS News, under new Skydance ownership. And if Paramount’s acquisition of Warner is successful, many expect the reach of those changes to only grow.

A Paramount-Warner combo would also combine two of Hollywood’s five legacy studios that remain today, in addition to their theatrical channels. Beyond “Harry Potter,” Warner movies like “Superman,” “Barbie,” and “One Battle After Another” — as well as hit TV series like “The White Lotus” and “Succession” — would join Paramount’s content library.

Today, Paramount’s lineup of titles include “Top Gun,” “Titanic” and “The Godfather.” And beyond CBS, it owns networks like MTV and Nickelodeon, as well as the Paramount+ streaming service.

Executives at Paramount have argued that merging will be good for consumers and the wider industry. But lawmakers and entertainment trade groups have sounded the alarm — warning that a Warner takeover would only further consolidate power in an industry already run by just a few major players. Critics say that could result in job losses, less diversity in filmmaking and potentially more headaches for consumers who are facing rising costs of streaming subscriptions as is.

Combined, that raises tremendous antitrust concerns. The U.S. Department of Justice has already initiated reviews, and other countries are expected to do so, too.

Netflix, Warner and Paramount have spent the last couple of months in a heated, public back and forth over whose deal has a better regulatory path — and offers more value for Warner shareholders. Thursday’s announcement arrived shortly after Paramount upped the ante on its offer.

Beyond increasing its proposed purchase price for Warner, the company also agreed to a regulatory termination fee of $7 billion. And Paramount pledged to move up a previously-promised “ticking fee.” The company initially said it would pay 25 cents per share for every quarter the deal drags on past the end of the year. Now it’s agreed to pay that amount if the deal doesn’t go through by the end of September, Warner said.

But Paramount is taking on billions of dollars in debt to finance its offer. And David Ellison’s father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is heavily backing the bid for his son’s company. Foreign sovereign wealth funds have also provided equity for the offer, drawing scrutiny.

The Ellisons also have a close relationship with President Donald Trump — bringing more politics into question. Trump previously made unprecedented suggestions about his involvement in seeing a deal through, before walking back those statements and maintaining that regulatory approval will be up to the Justice Department.

The push to acquire Warner also arrives just months after Skydance closed its own buyout of Paramount — in a contentious merger approved just weeks after the company agreed to pay the president $16 million to settle a lawsuit over editing at CBS’ “60 Minutes” program. Still, Trump has continued to publicly lash out at Paramount and “60 Minutes” since.

I met Ariene Bethea in 2020, back when she was running her brick-and-mortar shop Dressing Rooms Interiors. 

• It was a time when the world felt uncertain and travel was paused, but you could feel the world open up, stepping into her shop on Sharon Amity.

Recently I checked in with Ariene, and, as expected, she shared so many inspiring words of wisdom. Here’s a look at how her love for home and intuitive nature have helped her build a storied business.

Tell me about your relationship to home and design.

Home has always meant more to me than a place — it’s a feeling, a story, a reflection of who we are and what we carry with us. I see design as a form of storytelling. The objects we choose, the colors we live with, the pieces we keep — they all hold meaning. 

• My work has always been about helping people create spaces that feel layered, personal, and lived-in rather than perfectly staged. 
• I believe a home should feel soulful, not just styled.

When did the world of interiors first pique your interest? Is there a specific memory in your mind?

I grew up watching the women in my family take pride in their homes. My grandmother believed in restoring pieces she loved, and my mom was a true DIYer — refinishing floors, recovering dining chairs, swapping pillows with the seasons, even covering our white kitchen cabinets in patterned contact paper. So color, pattern, and giving things new life were just normal to me. I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of my design education.

Tell me about your career path, where did you start and where are you now?

My path into design wasn’t linear. I began my career in human resources, focused on training and development, which taught me a lot about people, communication, and how environments influence behavior. 

• Over time, my personal passion for interiors and vintage pieces grew into Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio. 
• What started as an online shop evolved into a brick-and-mortar boutique, and today it’s a design-driven brand centered on vintage sourcing, styling, and my lacquered lampshade collection.

Now my work sits at the intersection of retail, styling and storytelling. I curate pieces, design products, and help people think about their homes less in terms of trends and more in terms of personality, history and meaning.

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

Not consciously. I always knew I was independent and creative, but entrepreneurship revealed itself gradually. What I did know was that I wanted to create something of my own — something rooted in my perspective and values. Once I started DRIS, I realized entrepreneurship wasn’t just about owning a business; it was about building a world and inviting people into it.

Was there a moment in your life that didn’t make sense at the time, but looking back, actually led you to where you are now?

Closing my brick-and-mortar shop was one of those moments. At the time it felt emotional and uncertain, but it forced me to rethink what I was building and how I wanted to live. 

• It pushed me toward a more flexible, focused version of my business — one that prioritizes storytelling, product design and curated experiences rather than just maintaining a storefront. 
• Looking back, it was less of an ending and more of a refinement.

You’ve had a retail store and now have a booth at Slate. How did you make the decision to close shop and open something a little different?

Owning a standalone store taught me so much about community, merchandising and customer relationships, but it also showed me how much energy goes into maintaining a physical space. Moving into Slate allowed me to keep the part I love most — curating and connecting with clients — while giving me room to expand the brand in other ways. It felt like choosing sustainability over scale, and intention over obligation.

What has been your biggest lesson and greatest joy of your career so far?

My biggest lesson has been learning to trust my point of view. Early on, I worried about whether my aesthetic or approach fit into the design world (and Charlotte). Over time, I realized that what makes my work resonate is that it’s personal, layered, and rooted in story.

• My greatest joy is seeing people connect emotionally to a piece — when someone tells me a lamp, a chair, or a frame makes their home feel more like themselves. That’s magic for me.

You’re a fantastic treasure hunter. Tell me about one of your personal favorite finds in your own home.

Thank you! One of my favorite finds is a pair of vintage lamps painted in black and cream, shades included. They have so much presence that they make a statement no matter where I place them. I still find myself staring at them — they’re exactly the kind of soulful, character-filled piece I’m always hunting for.

Anything else we should know?

One thing people may not know is that I also host small group trips centered around design, culture, and discovery. They’re for people who love beautiful spaces, meaningful travel, and a little adventure. 

• Upcoming journeys include Morocco and Egypt, where we’ll explore markets, architecture, craftsmanship, and the stories behind the objects that inspire my work. 
• It’s been such a joy to see travelers form real friendships while experiencing these places together. If that sounds like your kind of experience, you can follow along with Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio to hear about upcoming trips.