Hollywood’s Ten Commandments, Bennet’s Manifesto, and Ivy Anxieties

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon registry of Puck’s latest reporting.

Today, we lead with Dylan Byers’ brilliant dissection of James Bennet’s 17,000-word dissertation on everything that’s gone wrong at The New York Times, where he was ousted in 2020 following an “illiberal” newsroom revolt.

Plus, below the fold: William D. Cohan thumbs through Bill Ackman’s undergrad oeuvre to make sense of his public crusade against three university presidents. Baratunde Thurston spotlights the real problem plaguing elite academic institutions. Box office guru Scott Mendelson presents ten essential tips for Hollywood executives agonizing over which movies to green-light. And on a special Media Monday episode of The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Jon Kelly eagerly delve into Bennet’s manifesto and its attendant questions.

DYLAN BYERS

News and notes on James Bennet’s biblically long screed against the Gray Lady, A.G., illiberalism, and more.

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WILLIAM D. COHAN

Wall Street’s most voluble hedge fund macher is very publicly denouncing university presidents for their inability to police (and outright condemn) antisemitism on their campuses, while also supporting and investing in Elon Musk’s media company. Is this a contradiction, or just Ackman’s unique logic?

BARATUNDE THURSTON

The public scandal around Claudine Gay and Liz Magill, among others, has distracted us from the real problem here: Elite institutions should focus less on press releases and more on their power to convene experts and host well-facilitated discussions. This is hard work, but it is desperately needed.

SCOTT MENDELSON

As the industry takes stock of a year that will fall short of $9 billion at the domestic box office, here are ten rules that can help executives decide what movies to make.