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Dylan Byers & Julia Alexander
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Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (Wednesday is an Inner Circle exclusive)
Ace media reporter Dylan Byers brings readers into the C-suite as he chronicles the biggest stories in the industry: the future of cable news in the streaming era, the transformation of legacy publishers, the tech giants remaking the market, and all the egos involved. Also featuring a weekly dispatch from Puck’s crack streaming/media analyst, Julia Alexander.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
Dylan Byers
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March 20, 2026
CNN’s Open Mic Night
The new set for Anderson Cooper’s AC360 has all the trappings of a 1950s radio show, with retro mics and paper maps. While C.E.O. Mark Thompson may be overseeing a makeover that skews creator-relatable, it undermines CNN’s news authority, especially during a war. At least Twitter enjoyed it.
Dylan Byers
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March 18, 2026
Little Allbritton
As the son of a yesteryear D.C. media baron, and the moneyman behind Politico, Robert Allbritton is still fighting for credit. Now he’s rebranding NOTUS, his post-Politico plaything, by hiring reporters and once again going after The Washington Post.
Dylan Byers
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March 13, 2026
The Snows of Kalorama
It had all the trappings of a turning point for 'The Washington Post,' with dozens of executives, editors, and reporters summoned to Jeff Bezos’s local manse for an unhurried, candid, even conciliatory discussion about what’s gone wrong with the paper since the centibillionaire bought it in 2013. But what attendees say they didn’t discuss is how to save it.
Dylan Byers
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March 11, 2026
The CNN–CBS Marriage Plot
The long-awaited match made in TV news heaven is getting closer to reality. But will the matrimony of Paramount’s CBS News and Warner Bros.’ CNN produce harmony and much-needed cost-savings, or layoffs and infighting? And who is going to run the show?
Dylan Byers
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March 6, 2026
Ellison’s Shell Game & Döpfner’s U.K. Blitz
News and notes on the conspicuous silence of Jeff Shell amid the PSKY–Warners deal heat. Plus, how RedBird finally offloaded The Telegraph to Axel Springer in an all-cash coup that nobody saw coming.
Dylan Byers
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March 4, 2026
Bari Goes to War
Over the past week, the CBS News chief dispatched Tony Dokoupil to the Middle East, scored exclusives on the back of her pro-Israel bona fides, and is finally making progress on shoring up her staff. All while the Ellisons, and the other news network they’re suddenly lined up to own, have been watching.
Dylan Byers
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February 27, 2026
Bari Apparent & Politico Animals
The WBD–PSKY post-merger dread hit CNN immediately yesterday, as its journalists and producers pondered life under Bari—but only if her CBS misfires haven’t disqualified her from running the combined operation. Plus, the voracious Mathias Döpfner’s global talent hunt.
Dylan Byers
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February 25, 2026
The WaPo Shiva Begins
Just when the slow-motion Telegraph sale finally seemed ready to close, Mathias Döpfner entered the chat. Does Axel Springer’s dark horse bid have any real chance? And why does anyone want the headache of owning a newspaper in 2026 anyway?
Dylan Byers
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February 20, 2026
The Colbert Market
While Trump sics the F.C.C.’s attack dog on the late-night shows, he’s giving Colbert, Kimmel, and Meyers the relevance they’ve been steadily leaching over the past decade or so. While democracy’s defenders will correctly cry foul, you have to ask: Where would late-night comedy be without Trump?
Dylan Byers
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February 18, 2026
Anderson of Anarchy
CBS News was abuzz in all the wrong ways again this week as Anderson Cooper announced his departure from ’60 Minutes.’ But the real story at CBS is not Cooper’s martyrdom (Colbert has that covered), it’s what his exit portends for the show’s future and the coming exodus of news talent.