📺 NEXSTAR-TEGNA $3.54B (Feb 18):
FCC Chair Carr: "I support that transaction"
265 stations → 54.5% U.S. reach
Blows past 39% ownership cap
Gomez (D): wants full commission vote
Ruddy: "prepared to litigate"
💵 LOBBYING (2025):
Nexstar: $3.2M to FCC | Sinclair: $800K
⚖️ FCC ACTIONS (Feb 20):
• Sinclair 4-station acq. APPROVED
Over DIRECTV objection
• The View under investigation
Talarico interview "equal time"
• "Patriotic programming" push
America 250 Task Force coordination
💀 ANNA MURDOCH-MANN DIES (Feb 18/19):
Rupert's 2nd wife, mother of Lachlan/James/Elisabeth. Age 81. $1.7B divorce (1999). Unifying force in succession.
⏰ DEADLINE TODAY — FEB 23 (SUNDAY):
Paramount best/final offer due END OF DAY
DOJ cleared Paramount Feb 19
Netflix still under Sherman Act probe
Trump demands Netflix fire Susan Rice "or pay consequences"
🎬 HOLLYWOOD WAR:
• James Cameron → Sen. Lee letter
"Disastrous for theatrical business"
• Sarandos: "disinformation campaign"
Netflix rebuttal letter to Sen. Lee
• Mark Ruffalo questions Cameron
📊 Deal Status:
• Paramount cleared DOJ (Feb 19)
• DOJ SHERMAN ACT PROBE of Netflix
Monopsony over filmmakers
• Feb 26: WBD Q4 earnings call
• Mar 20: WBD shareholder vote
📺 CBS NEWS EXODUS (Feb 2026):
• Bari Weiss: Editor-in-Chief
Free Press founder → CBS. Ellison's pick.
• Anderson Cooper QUIT (20 yrs)
• John Dickerson QUIT (16 yrs)
• Maurice DuBois QUIT
• 11 of 40 Evening News staff: buyouts
• Colbert show ending May 2026
FCC approved merger 1 week after cancellation
• Dickerson on Colbert Feb 19
"Epic troll of MAGA bosses"
• Peter Attia hired (wellness)
Kept despite Epstein ties — "not woke"
🔋 TMTG-TAE $6B FUSION (Dec 2025):
• First publicly traded fusion co.
50-50 ownership | DJT stock
• 50MWe plant construction 2026
TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer leads
📻 Salem Media (Feb 2026):
• Cleared $159.4M debt (Jan 2025)
Sold Christian stations to EMF
• Harrison Weinhold → podcast growth
• Larry O'Connor → Townhall editor
Paramount WBD Backers ($108B):
• Kushner's Affinity Partners
• PIF (Saudi) — $2B Affinity seed
• QIA (Qatar)
• ADIA (Abu Dhabi)
• RedBird Capital
• Ellison Trust ($40B guarantee)
Netflix under pressure ($72-83B):
• Trump demanding Rice removal
• DOJ probe "filmmaker leverage"
• Starz → WBD Networks ($25B)
🇬🇧 UK Telegraph War (£500M):
• Lisa Nandy approved DMGT sale (Feb 21)
Culture Sec. cleared RedBird→DMGT security
DMGT (agreed bid):
Daily Mail owner. PIIN review continues
Efune Consortium (rival):
• Efune (NY Sun, lead)
• Axel Springer (Politico)
• Hosking (£100M, Brexit)
• D. Smith (Sinclair)
"No regulatory hurdles" — late challenge
• Nexstar + Tegna ($3.5B)