Ellison’s Magical Thinking, Elon’s Lead Balloon, Jon Stewart 2.0

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon bulletin featuring Puck’s latest reporting.

First up today, Dylan Byers documents the hullabaloo surrounding Jeff Zucker’s Abu Dhabi-backed bid to take control of center-right British tabloids The Spectator and The Telegraph. Will public sentiment (and animosity towards the Emiratis) actually stymie a deal?

Plus, below the fold: Bill Cohan reads between the lines of Jamie Dimon’s JPMorgan executive shuffle, the M&A buzz enfolding Paramount, and Elon’s Tesla stock cri de coeur. Matt Belloni wrangles media banker Joe Ravitch for a privileged look at the ’24 deal climate. Baratunde Thurston envisions Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show. Scott Mendelson inspects the Ferrari box office car crash. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Jon Kelly discuss the brutal Q1 culling in the news media, before turning to Netflix’s incredible WWE deal.

DYLAN BYERS

The public outcries continue over Jeff Zucker’s quest for two venerable center-right British news brands. Are they reasonable critiques about the potential influence of his Emirati partner, or just sanctimonious and Anglocentric rumblings about two properties in need of fresh ideas and (lots of) fresh cash?

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WILLIAM D. COHAN

News and notes on the most topical items among the Sebonack crowd: Jamie’s executive shuffle, M&A activity at Paramount, and Elon’s stock rant.

MATTHEW BELLONI

A candid conversation with Raine Group’s Joe Ravitch, one of the sharpest and most outspoken bankers in the media/sports sectors, about the deal climate, global fears, and the future of Paramount and Lionsgate.

SCOTT MENDELSON

Why is the industry surprised when expensive awards bait films, designed to impress critics more than audiences, fail at the box office? The latest Mann disappointment is an example of the chasm between film executives and filmgoers.