SPORTS & MEDIA
Matthew Belloni
•
January 24, 2022
Why Does Showtime Still Exist?
Short-term cash and executive turf wars are preventing ViacomCBS C.E.O. Bob Bakish from doing the obvious: merging Showtime and Paramount+ into a single, more valuable streaming service
Dylan Byers
•
January 21, 2022
What’s Brian Roberts Gonna Buy Now?
After missing out on 21st Century Fox and the Zaz-Warner merger, Comcast seemed like a natural acquirer for Activision. But $69 billion of Microsoft’s money later, is there a plan B?
Dylan Byers
•
January 19, 2022
The Real Story Behind the Kotick-Nadella Deal
How a peace offering from Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s gaming chief, led Activision’s Bobby Kotick to a $69 billion deal.
Dylan Byers
•
January 14, 2022
Is Netflix Eating ESPN’s Lunch?
Some thoughts on whether Netflix is trying to steal ESPN’s playbook, and Axios’ turning point. Plus some other dish.
Dylan Byers
•
January 12, 2022
The Cable News Afterlife
A number of recent personnel moves in the sharp-elbowed, rapidly declining, and soon-to-be-evolving cable news industry portend the next wave of deals, chaos, and a streaming afterlife.
William D. Cohan
•
January 12, 2022
The Worst Media Deal in History?
NBCUniversal is now probably worth well north of $100 billion—a significant chunk of Comcast’s $230 billion market value. So why the hell did GE sell it for $30 billion a decade ago?
Brian Morrissey
•
January 12, 2022
The Rebooting: Ben Smith & His Times
With the roaring ’20s of digital publishing, we’re entering a long-overdue cycle of media innovation.
Jon Kelly
•
January 8, 2022
The Backstory: The Smiths’ NewMediaCo
News media has entered the next stage of an important evolution. After a long somnolence, our industry is changing faster than it has in generations.
Dylan Byers
•
January 7, 2022
The Times & Athletic Make It Official
My chat with Times C.E.O. Meredith Kopt-Levien, plus reporting on the latest news at CNN and BenSmithCo.
Dylan Byers
•
January 4, 2022
News on the Ben Smith News
Despite the sudden, and seemingly out-of-nowhere news that Ben Smith was leaving the Times, and that Justin Smith was stepping down as C.E.O. of Bloomberg Media, the Two Smiths had been quietly discussing their new media ambitions, on and off, for years. And it may take a decade to pull off. I chatted with the Smiths on the day of their big reveal.
Dylan Byers
•
December 30, 2021
The Great Post-Trump Cable News Correction
The inside conversation (and a few burning questions) about CNN’s impending pivot, the trouble at "The View," and the ballad of Suzanne Scott.
Brian Morrissey
•
December 23, 2021
The Rebooting: The Biggest Digital Media Stories of 2021
An uneven recovery and a flight to focus.
Dylan Byers
•
December 22, 2021
Iger’s Next Act & The Times-Athletic Tango
Deal murmurs, M&A rumblings, the Zaz rumor mill, Iger’s next moves, and other insights into the media in-crowd’s inside conversation.
Dylan Byers
•
December 17, 2021
The Times & The Athletic Are Getting Hot and Heavy
The Athletic has now entered into exclusive talks with The New York Times about a sale. Here’s the logic.
Dylan Byers
•
December 15, 2021
The Chris Wallace Tea Leaves & Jim vs. Jonah
Is Zucker’s poaching of Chris Wallace a harbinger of CNN+’s centrism and maturity, or a trophy hire to buy time for a new streamer. Or (hint!) both, and then some?
Dylan Byers
•
December 10, 2021
Zaz Moves, A Kotick Question & BriWi Speculation
Three questions, predictions, and some insider gossip about potential media moves and acquisitions in the new year.
Dylan Byers
•
December 8, 2021
Notes on the Cuomo Scandal
The existential crisis of cable news extends beyond the firing of Chris Cuomo and the exit of Rachel Maddow. Their replacements in the 9 p.m. hour will indicate how CNN and MSNBC can reposition their brands in the streaming era.