All articles tagged with #media
Mark Thompson will remain chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN as the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger closes on Tuesday. The combined entity, named Skydance, confirmed its leadership team on Monday, with David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz serving as co-CEOs. Thompson’s retention resolves months of uncertainty regarding editorial independence, though the network faces significant debt and integration challenges.
The merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery is set to close on October 6, 2026. The new combined entity will operate under the name Skydance, a brand previously associated with CEO David Ellison’s production company. The deal creates a massive media conglomerate encompassing major entertainment, news, and sports brands, following a recent settlement with state attorneys general that cleared the path for the transaction.
Unsealed court documents from the New York Times v. OpenAI/Microsoft lawsuit reveal that executives at both companies recognized their AI strategies would create a 'doom loop' that destroys the economic foundations of the content used to train their models. Internal Microsoft memos explicitly warned that the AI industry was undermining the livelihoods of the very creators whose work it monetized, while OpenAI leaders acknowledged that their tools were 'largely substitutive' for human journalism. Despite these admissions, both companies proceeded with their current strategies, arguing that their output falls under the legal doctrine of fair use. The fallout is already visible, with over 200,000 jobs lost in creative industries since ChatGPT's launch and a growing crisis in independent media, music, and education.
AV Club highlights a selection of PBS space documentaries that balance scientific depth with human narrative. The recommendations include the BBC co-productions 'The Planets' and 'The Solar System,' which use advanced CGI to detail planetary history and dynamics. Other featured titles are 'NOVA: Black Hole Apocalypse,' which explores cosmic mysteries with input from Neil deGrasse Tyson, and 'American Experience: Chasing The Moon,' which revisits the Apollo era using new archival footage. The list also covers 'The Farthest: Voyager In Space,' detailing the probe's journey to interstellar space, and 'Once Upon A Time In Space,' a 2026 series focusing on the human stories behind space exploration. Additionally, 'NOVA: Star Chasers of Senegal' examines the intersection of astronomy and faith in West Africa, while 'NOVA: Chasing Pluto' revisits the New Horizons mission.
The Justice Department filed a court motion on October 2 asking Judge Timothy Kelly to allow President Trump to reinstate his ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. The administration argues the ban is a valid exercise of presidential authority to protect national security and enforce professional standards. The outlets counter that the ban violates the First and Fifth Amendments, noting that the White House has continued to restrict their access despite a temporary restraining order. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to decide whether to grant a preliminary injunction.
Effective October 6, the combined entity of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will officially adopt the name Skydance, replacing the historic studio brands with the label of David Ellison’s production company.
The New York Times reader poll reorders the century’s best TV shows, elevating comedies and antihero dramas while dropping British series. PCWorld calculates the high cost and time required to stream the full list, while TheGrio highlights the strong representation of Black-led shows.
Daily Kos cartoonist Clay Jones released a new political cartoon titled 'Swinging for the midterms' on October 2, 2026. The post explicitly links the visual commentary to the organization’s urgent financial needs, urging readers to donate to maintain its paywall-free model. The content reflects the site’s ongoing struggle to secure revenue from its community rather than corporate or billionaire backers.
David Ellison has officially named the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery entity 'Skydance,' set to close on October 6, 2026. The new corporate brand will house legacy studios and streaming services as sub-brands, with a new stock ticker (SKYD) and co-CEO leadership from Ellison and Ynon Kreiz.
The Walt Disney Company is cutting approximately 300 jobs, primarily in human resources and technology, as part of a broader restructuring to shift focus from linear television to streaming. This latest round of reductions follows earlier layoffs in April and July under CEO Josh D'Amaro, who is consolidating divisions under his 'One Disney' strategy to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
Disney President Dana Walden declined to confirm Jimmy Kimmel’s future at ABC, citing the 'challenging' economics of late-night television. Although Kimmel’s ratings have risen, the overall broadcast audience has shrunk, forcing Disney to balance its partnership with the host against significant budget pressures. Kimmel’s current contract expires in May 2027, and while ABC previously denied reports of the show’s end, Disney is currently negotiating to reduce production costs to ensure financial viability.
The Trump administration is spending approximately $1.6 million weekly to keep 420 Voice of America employees on administrative leave, according to a recent State Department inspector general report. This ongoing cost follows the March 2025 dismantling of the agency, which placed nearly 1,000 staff on leave and cut hundreds of contract workers. While a federal judge struck down the initial mass layoff plan, the agency remains largely defunct. New leadership is slowly moving to restore some staff, but critics argue the prolonged shutdown has caused irreversible damage to the network's global audience and journalistic integrity.
David Ellison has announced that the combined entity of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will be named Skydance upon the merger's closure next week. The new corporate identity, trading under the ticker SKYD, is designed to preserve the distinct brands of Paramount and Warner Bros. while creating a unified 'creative-first' home for storytelling. The deal, valued at approximately $110 billion, follows a bidding war and legal challenges, with Ellison and Ynon Kreiz set to serve as co-CEOs. The merged studios plan to release 35 films next year.
Fox Business Network is replacing Maria Bartiromo’s former morning program with a new roundtable show called 'Big Money in the Morning.' The new format features multiple anchors, including Dagen McDowell and Brian Brenberg, who are moving from evening slots. This change follows Bartiromo's sudden departure in August and aims to increase on-air presence during peak market hours.
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek released a memoir alleging Bob Iger sabotaged his tenure, while advising current CEO Josh D'Amaro to avoid political advocacy. Chapek claims Iger undermined him weekly, leading to his 2022 ouster, and criticizes Disney's past stances on the 'Don't Say Gay' bill. He supports D'Amaro but warns against taking sides in cultural disputes, noting Disney's stock has lagged the S&P 500.