Broadcasting

If it Looks Like an Oligopoly. . .

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Article in The Wrap by Kayla Cobb, 10/8/26

Headline: “Skydance’s New TV Empire Explained: Who’s in Charge and What May Be Ahead | Analysis”

Subhead:  “With the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Skydance now owns almost 190 shows, over 70 cable networks and two major streamers”

“A lot of attention has been paid to the future of the film industry in the wake of Skydance acquiring Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, but few are talking about the other big entertainment play of this new merger: TV. With the acquisition of WBD, Skydance now owns nearly 190 shows, more than 70 cable channels and two major streamers.

“It’s a massive portfolio that threatens to disrupt the current order of television. Over the past 12 months, networks and streaming assets owned by Paramount and Warner Bros. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/tv/skydance-tv-paramount-warner-bros-discovery-merger-analysis/

Of a Feather – On Same Branch

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Article in Mediaite by Zachary Leeman, 10/6/26

Headline: ” ‘It’s Gonna Be a Great Company!’ Trump Raves About Ally David Ellison Taking Over Warner Bros in Massive Merger”

“President Donald Trump raved about the $111 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, saying it will be a “great company” headed by “terrific people.”

“Trump spoke with the press before a departure to Maryland on Tuesday. He avoided multiple questions about his recent remarks about Iran’s ability to ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego, but he was full of praise over Paramount’s David Ellison taking over Warner Bros. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/its-gonna-be-a-great-company-trump-raves-about-ally-david-ellison-taking-over-warner-bros-in-massive-merger/

Media Consolidation a Problem?

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Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 10/6/26

Headline: “David Ellison denies he has ‘politicized’ Skydance despite close Trump links”

Subhead:  “Ellison admits ‘good relationship’ with administration in remarks to reporters about newly merged media company”

“David Ellison, the chief executive of the newly formed media conglomerate Skydance, denied that he has “politicized” the company despite the close connection he has forged with Donald Trump’s White House over the 20 months of his administration. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/oct/06/skydance-david-ellison-trump

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Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover and Miriam Waldvogel, 10/6/26

Headline:  “Paramount closes $110B deal with Warner Bros. Discovery after months of wrangling”

Subhead: “The deal unites Paramount and Warner Bros. film and TV studios along with CNN and CBS, creating a new megacorporation in Hollywood, streaming and news.”

Read the article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/10/06/paramount-closes-110b-deal-with-warner-bros-discovery-after-months-wrangling/?itid=hp_mv-top-stories_Biz/Nat_p008_f001

Steaks, University, Watches, and Trump

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Article in The New York Times by By Maggie HabermanHamed AleazizShane Goldmacher and Jonathan Swan, 10/2/26

Headline: “Trump Directed Use of Taxpayer Money for Ads Praising His Presidency”

Subhead: “The government-funded ads show just how much President Trump has been able to use federal money for his own aims.”

“President Trump personally instructed his budget director to use taxpayer money for TV ads praising him and his presidency, setting in motion a $20 million contract that used funds from the Department of Homeland Security, according to people familiar with the matter.

“The ads have run across cable and network television — on Fox News, CNN and MS Now, with football games on Fox and with national newscasts on CBS, ABC and NBC, including ‘Meet the Press,’ which Mr. Trump is known to watch. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/us/politics/trump-ads.html

Fox News & Explosive Rage

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Article in Media Matters by Matt Gertz, 10/1/36

Headline: “Donald Trump’s insatiable demand for Fox propaganda”

“President Donald Trump lashed out at Fox News on Wednesday with a lengthy online harangue that made little sense but demonstrates the network’s impossible task in satisfying the president’s demand for pure propaganda. . .”

“. . .The president’s commentary about Fox typically blends praise for the hosts he loves and segments he appreciates with critiques of personalities who don’t meet his standard for sycophancy and attacks on the network’s accurate pollsters. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/donald-trumps-insatiable-demand-fox-propaganda

Reporters Experience “Show Me State”

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 9/30/26

Headline: “Opinion | Sen. Eric Schmitt confused the Hawks and Hawkeyes and the political press had a field day”

Subhead:  “The Missouri senator accused Jack Smith of perjury over an Atlanta Hawks game. Smith had actually watched Caitlin Clark play … in Maryland.”

“The Republican senator thought he was going to dunk on his opponent. Instead, he ended up flat on his back in a wild moment on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Get ready for a bizarre story that somehow includes basketball star Caitlin Clark.

“And it’s what the Washington media was buzzing about Tuesday. . . ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/eric-schmitt-hawks-hawkeyes-hawks-jack-smith/

Carr Accident

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Article in Status, by Oliver Darcy, 9/29/26

Headline: “Comcast’s Carr Calculation”

Subhead: “While the company announced plans to spin off NBCUniversal, Status has learned executives are weighing whether to hang on to their local television stations rather than risk a fight with Trump’s FCC.”

“Earlier this summer, when Comcast announced that it would spin off its NBCUniversal assets into a separate company, most of the industry assumed that the conglomerate’s owned-and-operated television stations would be divested with the rest of the media portfolio. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/comcast-nbc-stations-spinoff-fcc-brendan-carr

Will Court Stop Media Ban?

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Article in The Washington Post by Victoria Craw, 9/29/26

Headline: “CNN, MS NOW and Politico ask judge to extend block on Trump’s media ban”

Subhead:  “The current 14-day order is due to expire Oct. 8, and the media outlets say the White House is preventing CNN from fulfilling its television pool duties.”

“CNN, MS NOW and Politico have asked a federal court to block President Donald Trump’s media ban beyond the current 14-day order while legal proceedings play out.

The outlets called for the ‘same access’ to the White House and president they had before Trump announced the ban on Sept. 18, accusing them of ‘FAKE NEWS.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/09/30/cnn-ms-now-politico-ask-judge-extend-block-trumps-media-ban/

Who Paid for Trump Ads?

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Article in AP by Ali Swenson, 9/28/26

Headline:  “Taxpayers have funded nearly $1.5M in pro-Trump ads. Criticism is mounting, including from the GOP”

“The White House has spent days fiercely defending three taxpayer-funded advertisements that glorify President Donald Trump and are nearing at least $1.5 million in public spending, calling them public service announcements like those used in past administrations. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://apnews.com/article/trump-government-ads-taxpayer-funded-psa-propaganda-26ae03010d78221d1d93b06c0818d06d

Something Was “Hatched” in the Media

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Article in Common Dreams by Stephen Prager, 9/24/26

Headline:  “White House Airs ‘Illegal’ Trump Propaganda Ad ‘Paid For By the US Government’ Weirdest way to violate the Hatch Act, ever.”

“The White House is being accused of violating federal law after it aired an ad glorifying President Donald Trump, which it explicitly said was ‘paid for by the US government.’

“The ad was first reported by CBS News Miami investigative reporter Jim DeFede, who saw it airing on Fox News Wednesday night. . . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-government-funded-ad