The FCC approved Paramount's request to let sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar own more than 25 percent equity. The ruling permits 49.5 percent non-voting ownership in the merged Warner Bros. Discovery company and up to 100 percent indirect foreign equity in Paramount. DiscussingFilm and Variety reported the decision. Commissioner Anna Gomez and former FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya warned that the stakes could give repressive governments influence over content at CBS, CNN and other outlets. The approval removes one regulatory obstacle to the proposed merger.