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COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES
Commitments
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various commitments, which primarily include programming and talent arrangements, operating and finance leases (see Note 12), arrangements to purchase various goods and services, long-term debt (see Note 11), pension funding and payments (see Note 17), and future funding commitments to equity method investees (see Note 10) (in millions).
Year Ending December 31,ContentOther Purchase ObligationsOther Employee ObligationsTotal
2025$5,956 $1,119 $443 $7,518 
20263,976 819 269 5,064 
20273,241 755 108 4,104 
20282,589 173 52 2,814 
20291,447 39 24 1,510 
Thereafter4,321 6 64 4,391 
Total$21,530 $2,911 $960 $25,401 
The commitments disclosed above exclude liabilities recognized on the consolidated balance sheets.
Content purchase obligations include commitments associated with third-party producers and sports associations for content that airs on our television networks and DTC services. Production and licensing contracts generally require the purchase of a specified number of episodes and payments during production or over the term of a license, and include both programs that have been delivered and are available for airing and programs that have not yet been produced or sporting events that have not yet taken place. If the content is ultimately never produced, our commitments expire without obligation.
Other purchase obligations include agreements with certain vendors and suppliers for the purchase of goods and services whereby the underlying agreements are enforceable, legally binding and specify all significant terms. Significant purchase obligations include transmission services, television rating services, marketing commitments and research, equipment purchases, and information technology and other services. Some of these contracts do not require the purchase of fixed or minimum quantities and generally may be terminated with a 30-day to 60-day advance notice without penalty, and are not included in the table above past the 30-day to 60-day advance notice period. Other purchase obligations also include future funding commitments to equity method investees. Although the Company had funding commitments to equity method investees as of December 31, 2024, the Company may also provide uncommitted additional funding to its equity method investments in the future. (See Note 10.)
Other employee obligations are primarily related to employment agreements with creative talent for certain broadcast networks.
Six Flags Guarantee
In connection with the WarnerMedia Business’ former investment in the Six Flags (as defined below) theme parks located in Georgia and Texas (collectively, the “Parks”), in 1997, certain subsidiaries of the Company agreed to guarantee (the “Six Flags Guarantee”) certain obligations of the partnerships that hold the Parks (the “Partnerships”) for the benefit of the limited partners in such Partnerships, including annual payments made to the Parks or to the limited partners and additional obligations at the end of the respective terms for the Partnerships in 2027 and 2028 (the “Guaranteed Obligations”). Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (formerly known as Six Flags, Inc. and Premier Parks Inc.) (“Six Flags”), which has the controlling interest in the Parks, has agreed, pursuant to a subordinated indemnity agreement (the “Subordinated Indemnity Agreement”), to guarantee the performance of the Guaranteed Obligations when due and to indemnify the Company, among others, if the Six Flags Guarantee is called upon. If Six Flags defaults on its indemnification obligations, the Company has the right to acquire control of the managing partner of the Parks. Six Flags’ obligations to the Company are further secured by its interest in all limited partnership units held by Six Flags.
In December 2024, Six Flags provided notice of its exercise of the option related to the theme parks located in Georgia that requires the redemption of all the limited partnership units that Six Flags does not then own in the Georgia Partnership in January 2027. Pursuant to the exercise of the option, all of such outstanding limited partnership interests will be redeemed, and Six Flags will also acquire certain related entity general partnership and managing member interests.
Based on the Company’s evaluation of the current facts and circumstances surrounding the Guaranteed Obligations and the Subordinated Indemnity Agreement, it is unable to predict the loss, if any, that may be incurred under the Guaranteed Obligations, and no liability for the arrangements has been recognized as of December 31, 2024. Because of the specific circumstances surrounding the arrangements and the fact that no active or observable market exists for this type of financial guarantee, the Company is unable to determine a current fair value for the Guaranteed Obligations and related Subordinated Indemnity Agreement. The aggregate gross undiscounted estimated future cash flow requirements covered by the Six Flags Guarantee over the remaining term (through 2028) are $589 million. To date, no payments have been made by the Company pursuant to the Six Flags Guarantee.
Contingencies
Other Contingent Commitments
Other contingent commitments primarily include contingent payments for post-production term advance obligations on a certain co-financing arrangement, as well as operating lease commitment guarantees, letters of credit, bank guarantees, and surety bonds, which generally support performance and payments for a wide range of global contingent and firm obligations, including insurance, litigation appeals, real estate leases, and other operational needs. The Company’s other contingent commitments at December 31, 2024 were immaterial.
Put Rights
The Company has granted put rights to non-controlling interest holders in certain consolidated subsidiaries, but the Company is unable to reasonably predict the ultimate amount or timing of any payment. (See Note 19.)
Legal Matters
From time to time, in the normal course of its operations, the Company is subject to various litigation matters and claims, including claims related to employees, stockholders, vendors, other business partners, government regulations, or intellectual property, as well as disputes and matters involving counterparties to contractual agreements, such as disputes arising out of definitive agreements entered into in connection with the Merger. A determination as to the amount of the accrual required for such contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgment about future events. In connection with a contract dispute arising out of definitive agreements entered into in connection with the Merger, the Company established an immaterial accrual in the first quarter of 2024. At this time, the Company is not able to estimate the reasonably possible range of loss or any loss in excess of the accrual associated with such matter. There can be no assurance that any settlement of such dispute will be reached and, if a settlement is reached, what the total dollar amount will be of any such settlement.
The Company may not currently be able to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss for certain matters until developments in such matters have provided sufficient information to support an assessment of such loss. In the absence of sufficient information to support an assessment of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss, no accrual for such contingencies is made and no loss or range of loss is disclosed. Although the outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty and the impact of the final resolution of these matters on the Company’s results of operations in a particular subsequent reporting period is not known, management does not currently believe that the resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s future consolidated financial position, future results of operations, or cash flows.
Guarantees
There were no guarantees recorded under ASC 460 as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.
In the normal course of business, the Company may provide or receive indemnities that are intended to allocate certain risks associated with business transactions. Similarly, the Company may remain contingently liable for certain obligations of a divested business in the event that a third party does not fulfill its obligations under an indemnification obligation. The Company records a liability for its indemnification obligations and other contingent liabilities when probable and estimable. There were no material amounts for indemnifications or other contingencies recorded as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.