Broadcasting

News Gamble

by


Article in The New Republic by Grace Segers, 4/29/26

Headline:  “The Media’s Embrace of Prediction Markets Could Be a Devil’s Bargain”

Subhead:  “New relationships between media organizations and Kalshi and Polymarket could raise serious questions about institutional trustworthiness.”

“As prediction markets rise in popularity and notoriety, several news outlets have recently engaged in partnerships with the most prominent of these companies, raising questions about how and why media organizations would want to become entangled with an industry essentially predicated on gambling. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/209602/media-ethics-prediction-markets-kalshi-polymarket

Threatening TV Stations?

by

Article in Free Press by Staff, 4/28/26

Headline:  “FCC Chairman Carr’s Threat to Pull ABC Broadcast Licenses Is an Unconstitutional Attack on Free Speech”

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr issued an order to initiate early license reviews of all of ABC’s broadcast station licenses. This extraordinary move follows calls by President Donald Trump and his wife Melania for the broadcaster to fire Jimmy Kimmel.

Since becoming chairman, Carr has threatened multiple actions against the network and has opened at least three dubious investigations into the broadcaster, following instances in which ABC news and entertainment programming upset Trump. . .

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/fcc-chairman-carrs-threat-pull-abc-broadcast-licenses-unconstitutional-attack-free-speech

– – – – –

Article in The Hill by Dominick Mastrangelo, 4/28/26

Headline: “FCC ordering review of Disney broadcast station licenses ”

“. . .In a filing made on Tuesday, the department confirmed it had been conducting an investigation into Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices and was kicking off the process to start an early review of the company’s broadcast licenses for a handful of stations it owns and operates in major markets across the country.

“The stations in question are ABC affiliates in major markets like New York, Los Angeles and Houston. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5854049-fcc-ordering-review-of-disney-broadcast-station-licenses/

Many ABC TV Stations Have Licenses

by


Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 4/28/26

Headline:  “FCC orders review of ABC licenses after Jimmy Kimmel’s Melania Trump joke”

Subhead:  “Eight local broadcasting licenses under review after White House launched attack on late-night host over comment”

“The US’s top media watchdog announced on Tuesday that it is accelerating the review of eight local broadcasting licenses used by ABC, in a move critics see as a clear example of political and regulatory retribution against a disfavored broadcaster.

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) announcement comes after the White House launched a full-on attack against the ABC’s late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, over a joke he made last week about Melania Trump. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/28/fcc-abc-jimmy-kimmel

Complained About CBS Edits Once?

by


Article in The New Republic by Malcolm Ferguson, 4/28/26

Headline:  “Deranged Trump Rants Edited Out of 60 Minutes Interview After Shooting”

Subhead:  “CBS news didn’t air some particularly troubling rants from President Trump in its interview following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.”

“CBS News’s 60 Minutes cut out large portions of its interview with President Trump in which he rambled about his ballroom, how hot his Secret Service agents are, and how the No Kings protests are just like the Ku Klux Klan. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/post/209590/trump-rants-edited-out-60-minutes-interview-cbs-shooting

Grabbing Radio

by


Article in the New York Times by Lauren Hirsch and Benjamin Mullin

Headline:  “SiriusXM Said to Be in Early Talks to Acquire iHeartMedia”

Subhead:  “A deal, which was described by two people familiar with the discussions, would unite two major providers of traditional and satellite radio.”

“SiriusXM is in early-stage discussions to acquire iHeartMedia, a deal that would create an audio giant with a foothold in traditional and satellite radio and podcasts, two people familiar with the discussions said Friday.

“Should a deal come to fruition, it would be the culmination of years of speculation about a tie-up. Liberty SiriusXM Group, once an affiliate of John Malone’s media empire, formerly held significant stakes in both companies. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/business/media/siriusxm-iheart-radio.html

More Media Consolidation

by


Article in Slashdot by BeauHD, 4/23/26

Headline: “Warner Bros Shareholders Approve Paramount’s $81 Billion Takeover”

“Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have approved Paramount Skydance’s takeover bid, moving the massive Hollywood merger a step closer to completion. It’s not a done deal quite yet, though, as it still faces regulatory scrutiny and fierce opposition from critics who warn it will further concentrate media power. The Associated Press reports. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/26/04/23/1940241/warner-bros-shareholders-approve-paramounts-81-billion-takeover

Oily Fox News?

by

Article in Media Matters by Zachary Pleat, 4/23/36

Headline:  “As gas prices go up from the Iran war, Fox News celebrates the ‘biggest payday in history’ for oil companies”

Subhead:  “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is straining the American and global economies”

“Fox News is embracing the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to President Donald Trump’s war against Iran as an economic boon for U.S. petroleum exports — even though the closure will further increase American gasoline prices. Fox has already tried to downplay the increasing fuel prices that have resulted from the closure, which is currently straining both the U.S. and global economies in numerous ways, including threatening famine and global recession. , ,”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/gas-prices-go-iran-war-fox-news-celebrates-biggest-payday-history-oil-companies

Media Circus April 25th

by

Article in Daily Kos by Staff, 4/21/26

Headline:  “Trump’s media hitman to rub elbows with his victims”

“Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, known for using his power to suppress free speech, will be a guest at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25.

“Carr was asked to attend the event by Paramount, the parent company of CBS, which is headed by Republican donor David Ellison.

“CBS News also reportedly invited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller. All three have frequently attacked dissenting speech throughout their careers, particularly since joining the Trump administration. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/4/21/800024865/whitehouse/trump-media-hitman-rub-elbows-with-victims/

 

New Media Masters

by

Article in FAIR by Caitlan Scialla, 4/17/26

Headline: “Paramount’s Purchase of CNN Heralds a New Trump-Friendly Media Empire”

“The ultra-wealthy have long leveraged their capital to build sprawling media empires that narrow our public range of debate (FAIR.org, 6/1/87). But Paramount Skydance‘s winning bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) marks a major milestone in media monopolization that, if successful, will further expand Trump-allied tech moguls Larry and David Ellison’s burgeoning power over US news and entertainment media. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://fair.org/home/paramounts-purchase-of-cnn-heralds-a-new-trump-friendly-media-empire/

CBS – What Me Worry?

by


Article in Daily Beast by Janna Brancolini, 4/13/26

Headline:  “MAGA-Curious CBS Boss Accused of Not Caring About Top Show”

Subhead:  “The embattled ‘CBS Mornings’ just experienced its worst quarter ever.”

“CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss has been accused of dragging her feet in filling a key role at the network’s flailing morning show.

‘Weiss tapped former CBS Mornings host Tony Dokoupil to helm the network’s newly revamped MAGA-friendly CBS Evening News broadcast starting in January.

“Since then, both shows have struggled to attract viewers, with CBS Mornings experiencing its lowest-rated quarter on record. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-curious-cbs-boss-bari-weiss-accused-of-not-caring-about-top-show/