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The Powers That Be: Daily

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Join Emmy Award-winning journalist Peter Hamby, along with the team of expert journalists at Puck, as they let you in on the real conversations insiders are having across the four corners of power in America: Wall Street, Washington, Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Puck's contributors will bring you smart conversation around the inside stories happening in these worlds. Presented in partnership with Audacy, new episodes publish daily, Monday-Friday.
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Join Emmy Award-winning journalist Peter Hamby, along with the team of expert journalists at Puck, as they let you in on the real conversations insiders are having across the four corners of power in America: Wall Street, Washington, Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Puck's contributors will bring you smart conversation around the inside stories happening in these worlds. Presented in partnership with Audacy, new episodes publish daily, Monday-Friday.
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Published 2025-04-01

The A.O.C. Boomlet

21 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to talk about what the future holds for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who, at 35, is already one of the most scrutinized and compelling figures in the political arena. She’s increasingly generated buzz as an emerging leader for the Dems ever since Schumer voted with the G.O.P. on the funding bill. Now, Washington is wondering whether she’ll challenge for Schumer’s seat—or are her sights set even higher, like a run for the Oval in 2028?
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to talk about what the future holds for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who, at 35, is already one of the most scrutinized and compelling figures in the political arena. She’s increasingly generated buzz as an emerging leader for the Dems ever since Schumer voted with the G.O.P. on the funding bill. Now, Washington is wondering whether she’ll challenge for Schumer’s seat—or are her sights set even higher, like a run for the Oval in 2028?
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Published 2025-03-31

Media Monday: Graydon Week & Peyton Manning’s Mega-Series A

22 min
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Jon Kelly and Peter reunite for a rundown of Puck’s major D.C. soiree, a rehash of Graydon Carter’s bildungsroman, and an analysis of Peyton Manning’s ~$800 million mediaco valuation.
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Jon Kelly and Peter reunite for a rundown of Puck’s major D.C. soiree, a rehash of Graydon Carter’s bildungsroman, and an analysis of Peyton Manning’s ~$800 million mediaco valuation.
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Published 2025-03-28

The Atlantic’s Signalgate Boost & CNN’s Zucker Redux

24 min
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Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the chatter swirling around The Atlantic, which made the headlines this week after E.I.C. Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he was added to a group chat filled with high-ranking national security officials discussing war plans—and why the imbroglio has boosted the magazine’s reputation among the political and media elite. Then, Dylan breaks down what CNN’s latest hires reveals about Mark Thompson’s digital transformation master plan.
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Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the chatter swirling around The Atlantic, which made the headlines this week after E.I.C. Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he was added to a group chat filled with high-ranking national security officials discussing war plans—and why the imbroglio has boosted the magazine’s reputation among the political and media elite. Then, Dylan breaks down what CNN’s latest hires reveals about Mark Thompson’s digital transformation master plan.
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Published 2025-03-27

Signalgate Fallout

18 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter for an inside look at D.C.’s remarkable Signal group chat scandal, in which senior national security officials from the Trump administration accidentally added The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a private group chat discussing war plans. Leigh Ann digs into the G.O.P.’s response—from those doubling down Trump-style deflection, to those sounding the alarm on the grave national security risk.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter for an inside look at D.C.’s remarkable Signal group chat scandal, in which senior national security officials from the Trump administration accidentally added The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a private group chat discussing war plans. Leigh Ann digs into the G.O.P.’s response—from those doubling down Trump-style deflection, to those sounding the alarm on the grave national security risk.
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Published 2025-03-26

Hollywood’s Art of the Flop

20 min
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Julia Alexander joins Peter for a deep dive into three recent misfires in Hollywood: ‘Snow White,’ ‘The Alto Knights,’ and Netflix’s ‘The Electric State.’ Julia explains why, despite their colossal budgets, these films landed with a resounding thud and failed to meet their debut expectations. Is Hollywood at an inflection point, or are these merely symptoms of a deeper malaise?
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Julia Alexander joins Peter for a deep dive into three recent misfires in Hollywood: ‘Snow White,’ ‘The Alto Knights,’ and Netflix’s ‘The Electric State.’ Julia explains why, despite their colossal budgets, these films landed with a resounding thud and failed to meet their debut expectations. Is Hollywood at an inflection point, or are these merely symptoms of a deeper malaise?
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Published 2025-03-25

Big Law Bends the Knee

15 min
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to unpack Donald Trump’s ongoing crusade against blue-chip law firms. He breaks down how left-leaning firm Paul Weiss caved to Trump, agreeing to $40 million in pro bono work and other eyebrow-raising concessions. Eriq explains the chilling effect on the legal world, as firms shy away from taking meritorious cases against the government, worried that challenging Trump could put their business, and future, on the line.
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to unpack Donald Trump’s ongoing crusade against blue-chip law firms. He breaks down how left-leaning firm Paul Weiss caved to Trump, agreeing to $40 million in pro bono work and other eyebrow-raising concessions. Eriq explains the chilling effect on the legal world, as firms shy away from taking meritorious cases against the government, worried that challenging Trump could put their business, and future, on the line.
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Published 2025-03-24

Media Monday: The Times’ A.I. Adventures & a Draftkings Dilemma

25 min
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Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby unite to tackle The New York Times’ complex relationship with artificial intelligence—suing OpenAI on one hand while envisioning the economic boost of the technology on the other—and hypothesize about how this posture will impact the newsroom. Then they dig into a gaming media pivot.
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Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby unite to tackle The New York Times’ complex relationship with artificial intelligence—suing OpenAI on one hand while envisioning the economic boost of the technology on the other—and hypothesize about how this posture will impact the newsroom. Then they dig into a gaming media pivot.
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Published 2025-03-21

Where’s My Gary Cohn?

24 min
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Bill Cohan joins Peter for a deep dive into Wall Street’s response to President Trump’s erratic and impulsive economic reset—one that’s doing little to ease consumer prices while throwing markets into disarray. Bill and Peter ask: Where have the big-money power players gone as Trump’s protectionist trade policies sow chaos on The Street? Plus, Bill considers whether Scott Bessent could actually emerge as a stabilizing force.
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Bill Cohan joins Peter for a deep dive into Wall Street’s response to President Trump’s erratic and impulsive economic reset—one that’s doing little to ease consumer prices while throwing markets into disarray. Bill and Peter ask: Where have the big-money power players gone as Trump’s protectionist trade policies sow chaos on The Street? Plus, Bill considers whether Scott Bessent could actually emerge as a stabilizing force.
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Published 2025-03-20

LVMH's $300 Billion Question

19 min
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Lauren Sherman joins Peter for an inside look at the ongoing LVMH succession saga. With père Arnault pushing to immortality, Lauren and Peter speculate about which heir will take the reins—and whether any of them even want to. Then Lauren breaks down how Trump’s tariffs will impact the price of popular European alcohol brands in the U.S.
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Lauren Sherman joins Peter for an inside look at the ongoing LVMH succession saga. With père Arnault pushing to immortality, Lauren and Peter speculate about which heir will take the reins—and whether any of them even want to. Then Lauren breaks down how Trump’s tariffs will impact the price of popular European alcohol brands in the U.S.
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Published 2025-03-19

Is YouTube Eating Hollywood?

20 min
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Streaming guru Julia Alexander joins Peter for a rollicking conversation about the wild state of the industry war in 2025: Netflix’s enduring dominance, Apple TV’s strategic nod to the HBO playbook, and why the Peacocks of the world exist merely as consolidation bait. Then Julia dives deep into how YouTube is flying under the radar as potentially the most dominant streamer in the game… and why Hollywood ignores it at its peril.
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Streaming guru Julia Alexander joins Peter for a rollicking conversation about the wild state of the industry war in 2025: Netflix’s enduring dominance, Apple TV’s strategic nod to the HBO playbook, and why the Peacocks of the world exist merely as consolidation bait. Then Julia dives deep into how YouTube is flying under the radar as potentially the most dominant streamer in the game… and why Hollywood ignores it at its peril.
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Published 2025-03-18

Good Luck, Chuck

20 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to unpack the frustrated chatter surrounding Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who’s taking major flack from his party after sidestepping the activist base to avoid a government shutdown. Leigh Ann shares what Democrats on The Hill are saying privately about whether Schumer is actually up for the moment—and what his lack of fight back portends for the rest of his tenure as leader.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to unpack the frustrated chatter surrounding Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who’s taking major flack from his party after sidestepping the activist base to avoid a government shutdown. Leigh Ann shares what Democrats on The Hill are saying privately about whether Schumer is actually up for the moment—and what his lack of fight back portends for the rest of his tenure as leader.
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Published 2025-03-17

Media Monday: Pod Save Gavin Newsom

27 min
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Jon Kelly joins Peter to weigh into Gavin Newsom’s new Rogan-esque podcast and debate whether his MAGA-friendly strategy is helping Democrats or simply repositioning Newsom, himself. Then they turn to Bill Simmons’ new role at Spotify, and explore why video is poised to dominate the future of audio.
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Jon Kelly joins Peter to weigh into Gavin Newsom’s new Rogan-esque podcast and debate whether his MAGA-friendly strategy is helping Democrats or simply repositioning Newsom, himself. Then they turn to Bill Simmons’ new role at Spotify, and explore why video is poised to dominate the future of audio.
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Published 2025-03-14

Paramount in Purgatory & Trump’s Legal Tantrum

20 min
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to dissect the fate of the Paramount-Skyance merger, which remains in F.C.C. purgatory under the new Trump administration. Then Eriq scrutinizes Trump’s grudge-driven crusade against the white shoe law firm Perkins Coie—and their titanic response, landing a major blow against Trump in federal court in the process.
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to dissect the fate of the Paramount-Skyance merger, which remains in F.C.C. purgatory under the new Trump administration. Then Eriq scrutinizes Trump’s grudge-driven crusade against the white shoe law firm Perkins Coie—and their titanic response, landing a major blow against Trump in federal court in the process.
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Published 2025-03-13

Schumer’s Shutdown Horror Story

13 min
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Abby Livingston reunites with Peter to dissect the forthcoming showdown over a looming government shutdown. With House Republicans managing to push a spending bill through this week, the ball is now in the Senate’s court—where Democrats face an unusual and uncomfortable dilemma: crossing the aisle to support the G.O.P.’s budget resolution, or stand their ground against Trump’s spending cuts and risk bringing the government to a halt.
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Abby Livingston reunites with Peter to dissect the forthcoming showdown over a looming government shutdown. With House Republicans managing to push a spending bill through this week, the ball is now in the Senate’s court—where Democrats face an unusual and uncomfortable dilemma: crossing the aisle to support the G.O.P.’s budget resolution, or stand their ground against Trump’s spending cuts and risk bringing the government to a halt.
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Published 2025-03-12

Make Europe Great Again?

20 min
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to sift through the geopolitical implications of Trump’s middle-finger diplomacy as he retreats from U.S. commitments abroad and edges closer to an alliance with Vladimir Putin. Then they discuss what’s next for Europe as France ramps up support for Ukraine, Poland seeks its own nukes, and Germany rearms: If this is the end of Pax Americana, is it a new beginning or the end for NATO, too?
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to sift through the geopolitical implications of Trump’s middle-finger diplomacy as he retreats from U.S. commitments abroad and edges closer to an alliance with Vladimir Putin. Then they discuss what’s next for Europe as France ramps up support for Ukraine, Poland seeks its own nukes, and Germany rearms: If this is the end of Pax Americana, is it a new beginning or the end for NATO, too?
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Published 2025-03-11

The G.O.P.’s Shutdown DOGEball

16 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the forthcoming high-stakes showdown in Congress: Will Democrats throw Speaker Mike Johnson a lifeline and help pass the Republican funding bill, or will they stand firm and let the government grind to a halt over DOGE and Trump’s deep spending cuts?
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the forthcoming high-stakes showdown in Congress: Will Democrats throw Speaker Mike Johnson a lifeline and help pass the Republican funding bill, or will they stand firm and let the government grind to a halt over DOGE and Trump’s deep spending cuts?
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Published 2025-03-10

Media Monday: A Zaz Breakthrough & The Dems’ Digital Dilemma

28 min
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Jon Kelly and Peter huddle up for a close look at David Zaslav’s Warner Bros. Discovery, which, after three years of P.R. crises, tough management calls, and chipping away at its colossal debt, is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Jon and Peter also weigh into the Democrats’ evolving media strategy as they grapple with the primacy of digital media and capturing voters’ attention beyond traditional TV.
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Jon Kelly and Peter huddle up for a close look at David Zaslav’s Warner Bros. Discovery, which, after three years of P.R. crises, tough management calls, and chipping away at its colossal debt, is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Jon and Peter also weigh into the Democrats’ evolving media strategy as they grapple with the primacy of digital media and capturing voters’ attention beyond traditional TV.
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Published 2025-03-07

Bezos’s WaPo Gut Punch

25 min
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Dylan Byers joins Peter for a close look at ‘The Washington Post’ as the legacy paper endures more staff departures, a fresh round of journalist agita, and the loss of 75,000 subscribers—stemming from the machinations of Jeff Bezos, who recently implemented a new editorial mandate focused on personal liberties and free markets. Dylan and Peter also debate the long term goals for the paper, and whether Bezos and his publisher Will Lewis could be willing to sacrifice their core audience in order to build a new one.
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Dylan Byers joins Peter for a close look at ‘The Washington Post’ as the legacy paper endures more staff departures, a fresh round of journalist agita, and the loss of 75,000 subscribers—stemming from the machinations of Jeff Bezos, who recently implemented a new editorial mandate focused on personal liberties and free markets. Dylan and Peter also debate the long term goals for the paper, and whether Bezos and his publisher Will Lewis could be willing to sacrifice their core audience in order to build a new one.
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Published 2025-03-06

Zelensky’s Art of No Deal

19 min
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to reveal what insiders in Washington are really saying about Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Trump and J.D. Vance, where even Democrats believe the Ukrainian president has blundered—raising serious questions about how much he has weakened his negotiating position as the U.S. looks to wind down the war between Ukraine and Russia. So what exactly does the process to peace look like?
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to reveal what insiders in Washington are really saying about Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Trump and J.D. Vance, where even Democrats believe the Ukrainian president has blundered—raising serious questions about how much he has weakened his negotiating position as the U.S. looks to wind down the war between Ukraine and Russia. So what exactly does the process to peace look like?
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Published 2025-03-05

Trump’s 2026 Blacklist

19 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss Trump’s brass-knuckled tactics to hold the House and Senate in the midterms while ensuring that Republicans remain loyal only to him—a dual mandate that could moderates in an impossible position. Leigh Ann also reveals the growing tensions between Trump’s camp and Tim Scott, whose N.R.S.C. is ostensibly in charge of winning Senate elections next year, and the two Trump flunkies the president has put in charge of keeping dissenters in line.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss Trump’s brass-knuckled tactics to hold the House and Senate in the midterms while ensuring that Republicans remain loyal only to him—a dual mandate that could moderates in an impossible position. Leigh Ann also reveals the growing tensions between Trump’s camp and Tim Scott, whose N.R.S.C. is ostensibly in charge of winning Senate elections next year, and the two Trump flunkies the president has put in charge of keeping dissenters in line.
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Published 2025-03-04

A Populist Case For Rebooting the Oscars

20 min
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Matt Belloni joins Peter for an insider’s review of the Oscars. The duo examine the growing trend of awarding critically acclaimed films that few have actually seen, dissect the highs and lows of ABC’s broadcast, and explore why politics took a backseat on Hollywood’s biggest night.
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Matt Belloni joins Peter for an insider’s review of the Oscars. The duo examine the growing trend of awarding critically acclaimed films that few have actually seen, dissect the highs and lows of ABC’s broadcast, and explore why politics took a backseat on Hollywood’s biggest night.
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Published 2025-03-03

Media Monday: Bezos Unleashed & MLB’s Media Curveball

22 min
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Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby dissect the latest headwinds at ‘The Washington Post,’ where Jeff Bezos is reshaping the Opinion section around two core pillars: personal liberties and free markets, in yet another sign of Trump administration genuflection. Plus, the duo debate the best landing spots for the MLB’s media rights in a post-ESPN landscape.
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Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby dissect the latest headwinds at ‘The Washington Post,’ where Jeff Bezos is reshaping the Opinion section around two core pillars: personal liberties and free markets, in yet another sign of Trump administration genuflection. Plus, the duo debate the best landing spots for the MLB’s media rights in a post-ESPN landscape.
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Published 2025-02-28

Maddow's Prime Time Revolt

24 min
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Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the turmoil brewing at 30 Rock where MSNBC’s new president Rebecca Kutler implemented a sweeping programming overhaul—and network star Rachel Maddow openly criticizing her bosses live on air in prime time. But as Dylan explains, some of these changes may be necessary as the network navigates its future beyond Maddow and ‘Morning Joe.’
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Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the turmoil brewing at 30 Rock where MSNBC’s new president Rebecca Kutler implemented a sweeping programming overhaul—and network star Rachel Maddow openly criticizing her bosses live on air in prime time. But as Dylan explains, some of these changes may be necessary as the network navigates its future beyond Maddow and ‘Morning Joe.’
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Published 2025-02-27

Musk's DOGE Machete

20 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the political fallout of Elon Musk’s cost-cutting bloodbath. While Democrats are weary of Musk slashing government spending, Leigh Ann reveals that Republicans, too, are privately voicing concerns to the Trump administration. Leigh Ann also explores a brewing showdown in Congress, where Democrats may protest the House budget resolution by allowing a government shutdown in the coming weeks.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the political fallout of Elon Musk’s cost-cutting bloodbath. While Democrats are weary of Musk slashing government spending, Leigh Ann reveals that Republicans, too, are privately voicing concerns to the Trump administration. Leigh Ann also explores a brewing showdown in Congress, where Democrats may protest the House budget resolution by allowing a government shutdown in the coming weeks.
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Published 2025-02-26

'White Lotus' Collabmania & Nike's Woman Problems

17 min
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Lauren Sherman joins Peter to delve into the slew of brand collaborations tied to HBO’s hit series ‘The White Lotus,’ highlighting the mass-market partnerships that come across to many as distasteful and inorganic. Are these collabs actually driving sales or just diluting the show’s luxury allure? Plus Lauren discusses the Nike-Skims alliance and the broader “woman problem” the iconic athletic brand is aiming to solve.
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Lauren Sherman joins Peter to delve into the slew of brand collaborations tied to HBO’s hit series ‘The White Lotus,’ highlighting the mass-market partnerships that come across to many as distasteful and inorganic. Are these collabs actually driving sales or just diluting the show’s luxury allure? Plus Lauren discusses the Nike-Skims alliance and the broader “woman problem” the iconic athletic brand is aiming to solve.
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Published 2025-02-25

The Tragedy of the Trump-Putin Pact

22 min
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to unpack the latest on the war in Ukraine as Trump tries to hash out a peace deal by flouting almost every tradition of U.S. diplomacy—while berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the process. As Julia explains, any deal that gives Vladimir Putin the benefit of the doubt is all but certain to backfire.
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Julia Ioffe joins Peter to unpack the latest on the war in Ukraine as Trump tries to hash out a peace deal by flouting almost every tradition of U.S. diplomacy—while berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the process. As Julia explains, any deal that gives Vladimir Putin the benefit of the doubt is all but certain to backfire.
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Published 2025-02-24

Media Monday: Trump's Press Play & ESPN's Exit Strategy

25 min
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Jon Kelly rejoins Peter to dissect exclusive polling data on how the media is navigating Trump II—and how Democrats and mainstream news consumers perceive today’s press environment compared to Trump’s first term. Then the duo turn their attention to CBS News and ESPN, two legacy TV networks wrestling with linear decline, digital upheaval, and brutal cost-cutting decisions.
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Jon Kelly rejoins Peter to dissect exclusive polling data on how the media is navigating Trump II—and how Democrats and mainstream news consumers perceive today’s press environment compared to Trump’s first term. Then the duo turn their attention to CBS News and ESPN, two legacy TV networks wrestling with linear decline, digital upheaval, and brutal cost-cutting decisions.
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Published 2025-02-21

The MLB-ESPN Standoff & Stephen A. For President?

28 min
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John Ourand joins Peter for a midterm review of the NBA season thus far, reflecting on the lousy All-Star Weekend and diving deep into the business of the league. Then the duo switch gears to discuss the standoff between MLB and ESPN over the network’s broadcasting rights. Also, could Stephen A. Smith or Mark Cuban actually run for president?
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John Ourand joins Peter for a midterm review of the NBA season thus far, reflecting on the lousy All-Star Weekend and diving deep into the business of the league. Then the duo switch gears to discuss the standoff between MLB and ESPN over the network’s broadcasting rights. Also, could Stephen A. Smith or Mark Cuban actually run for president?
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Published 2025-02-20

Elon Musk: Heat Shield Or Achilles’ Heel?

25 min
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Tara Palmeri joins Peter to debate whether Elon Musk is really an asset to Donald Trump, or merely a disposable blunt instrument for his slash-and-burn agenda. According to exclusive new polling, it all depends on how voters perceive what he’s doing: is he an unelected, self-serving carpetbagger or a crusader for government efficiency? Either way, it seems like Trump is happy to have him… for now.
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Tara Palmeri joins Peter to debate whether Elon Musk is really an asset to Donald Trump, or merely a disposable blunt instrument for his slash-and-burn agenda. According to exclusive new polling, it all depends on how voters perceive what he’s doing: is he an unelected, self-serving carpetbagger or a crusader for government efficiency? Either way, it seems like Trump is happy to have him… for now.
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Published 2025-02-19

Weapons of Mass Defamation

18 min
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As Trump's war on the media accelerates, Eriq Gardner joins Ben to discuss whether the industry is headed for a state of mutually assured destruction, with MAGA allies chipping away at Times v. Sullivan's libel shield, billionaires financing defamation battles, Elon Musk accusing his enemies of fraud, and his targets contemplating counter-suits of their own.
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As Trump's war on the media accelerates, Eriq Gardner joins Ben to discuss whether the industry is headed for a state of mutually assured destruction, with MAGA allies chipping away at Times v. Sullivan's libel shield, billionaires financing defamation battles, Elon Musk accusing his enemies of fraud, and his targets contemplating counter-suits of their own.
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Published 2025-02-18

Hakeem’s Nuclear Option

23 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell, chief Washington correspondent at Puck, joins Ben to discuss the centrist vs. progressive civil war consuming Democrats, the leadership void fueling the party's paralysis, and whether Hakeem Jeffries will entertain the nuclear option—a government shutdown—to hold Donald Trump accountable.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell, chief Washington correspondent at Puck, joins Ben to discuss the centrist vs. progressive civil war consuming Democrats, the leadership void fueling the party's paralysis, and whether Hakeem Jeffries will entertain the nuclear option—a government shutdown—to hold Donald Trump accountable.
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Published 2025-02-17

Media Monday: CBS News Blues & Fox's Mainstreamification

31 min
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Jon Kelly and Dylan Byers huddle up to address a wide spectrum of plotlines consuming the media landscape, from Fox News’s mainstream pivot—bolstered by a recent influx of blue chip advertisers—to the internal turmoil brewing at CBS News. The duo also discuss the fickle state of print publications, and contemplate the future of the magazine industry
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Jon Kelly and Dylan Byers huddle up to address a wide spectrum of plotlines consuming the media landscape, from Fox News’s mainstream pivot—bolstered by a recent influx of blue chip advertisers—to the internal turmoil brewing at CBS News. The duo also discuss the fickle state of print publications, and contemplate the future of the magazine industry
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Published 2025-02-14

The Mar-Lago Story Behind Amazon’s $40M ‘Melania’ Deal

20 min
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Kim Masters joins Peter for an inside look at Amazon’s perplexing $40 million bid for a forthcoming Melania Trump documentary, directed by disgraced Hollywood filmmaker Brett Ratner. Kim reveals the list of MAGA-adjacent characters pushing for Ratner’s Hollywood comeback, and considers the role Jeff Bezos may have played in this whole, strange ordeal.
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Kim Masters joins Peter for an inside look at Amazon’s perplexing $40 million bid for a forthcoming Melania Trump documentary, directed by disgraced Hollywood filmmaker Brett Ratner. Kim reveals the list of MAGA-adjacent characters pushing for Ratner’s Hollywood comeback, and considers the role Jeff Bezos may have played in this whole, strange ordeal.
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Published 2025-02-13

Elon v. Altman: The Thrilla in Vanilla

20 min
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Bill Cohan joins Peter to dissect the heated and increasingly personal feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, which reignited again this week as Altman brushed off Elon’s $97 billion, middle-finger bid to take over the nonprofit that controls OpenAI. Bill and Peter explore the roots of their dissent, and discuss how these friends-turned-rivals are now vying for the affections of Trump.
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Bill Cohan joins Peter to dissect the heated and increasingly personal feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, which reignited again this week as Altman brushed off Elon’s $97 billion, middle-finger bid to take over the nonprofit that controls OpenAI. Bill and Peter explore the roots of their dissent, and discuss how these friends-turned-rivals are now vying for the affections of Trump.
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Published 2025-02-12

Fox’s Super Bowl Bonanza & ESPN’s NFL Equation

19 min
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John Ourand joins Peter to break down a Super Bowl ratings bonanza for the NFL and Fox, despite a largely underwhelming game. Then he assesses a prospective deal in which ESPN buys the NFL’s media assets (NFL Network, NFL RedZone, etcetera) and explains why ESPN would even be interested in adding more declining linear assets to their TV portfolio.
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John Ourand joins Peter to break down a Super Bowl ratings bonanza for the NFL and Fox, despite a largely underwhelming game. Then he assesses a prospective deal in which ESPN buys the NFL’s media assets (NFL Network, NFL RedZone, etcetera) and explains why ESPN would even be interested in adding more declining linear assets to their TV portfolio.
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Published 2025-02-11

Dem Paralysis & McConnell's Twilight Era

22 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to examine the paralysis gripping Democrats as the party debates which fights to pick with an unbridled Trump. They also discuss Mitch McConnell’s stunning transformation, in the twilight of his Senate career, into a major impediment to his imperial presidency.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to examine the paralysis gripping Democrats as the party debates which fights to pick with an unbridled Trump. They also discuss Mitch McConnell’s stunning transformation, in the twilight of his Senate career, into a major impediment to his imperial presidency.
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Published 2025-02-10

Media Monday: NFL’s 18-Game Fantasy & A Politico Microscandal

25 min
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Jon Kelly joins Peter to talk about the NFL’s 18-game fantasy. They analyze the viability of lengthening the NFL season, whether this is a smart business decision, and envision the potential for major streamers to get involved. Then they dissect the Trump administration cancelling its subscriptions to several D.C. publications—and whether this could actually impact their bottom lines.
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Jon Kelly joins Peter to talk about the NFL’s 18-game fantasy. They analyze the viability of lengthening the NFL season, whether this is a smart business decision, and envision the potential for major streamers to get involved. Then they dissect the Trump administration cancelling its subscriptions to several D.C. publications—and whether this could actually impact their bottom lines.
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Published 2025-02-07

Elon's Wrecking Ball & Shari's Last Dance

22 min
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to navigate the growing tide of legal challenges surrounding Trump’s contentious executive orders and his efforts, along with Elon Musk, to reshape the federal government. Then Eriq shifts gears to dissect the mounting scrutiny on Shari Redstone’s bid to sell Paramount to Skydance, sparked by Trump’s shaky lawsuit against CBS News.
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to navigate the growing tide of legal challenges surrounding Trump’s contentious executive orders and his efforts, along with Elon Musk, to reshape the federal government. Then Eriq shifts gears to dissect the mounting scrutiny on Shari Redstone’s bid to sell Paramount to Skydance, sparked by Trump’s shaky lawsuit against CBS News.
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Published 2025-02-06

Emilia Pérez P.R. Panic & The Lively-Baldoni Legal Tangle

25 min
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Puck’s newest partner, the legendary Hollywood journalist Kim Masters, joins Peter for a deep dive into the public relations firestorm and social media-fueled disasters surrounding the Oscar-nominated ‘Emilia Pérez.’ Then Kim breaks down the escalating legal kerfuffle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni—and why it's a no-win situation for everyone involved.
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Puck’s newest partner, the legendary Hollywood journalist Kim Masters, joins Peter for a deep dive into the public relations firestorm and social media-fueled disasters surrounding the Oscar-nominated ‘Emilia Pérez.’ Then Kim breaks down the escalating legal kerfuffle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni—and why it's a no-win situation for everyone involved.
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Published 2025-02-05

Trump's Tariff Theater

21 min
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Bill Cohan joins Peter for a deep dive into Trump’s tariff threats against Mexico, Canada, and China. Bill argues that these threats are largely performative, crafted to score political wins rather than serve any real economic purpose. Then they discuss the inevitable market volatility, and whether, despite any potential short-term gains, these tariffs will ultimately prove inflationary and harmful to U.S. relations with key allies.
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Bill Cohan joins Peter for a deep dive into Trump’s tariff threats against Mexico, Canada, and China. Bill argues that these threats are largely performative, crafted to score political wins rather than serve any real economic purpose. Then they discuss the inevitable market volatility, and whether, despite any potential short-term gains, these tariffs will ultimately prove inflationary and harmful to U.S. relations with key allies.
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Published 2025-02-04

Cabinet Confirmation Roulette

17 min
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to analyze the high-stakes confirmation battles of two of Trump’s most contentious cabinet picks: Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and R.F.K. Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Leigh Ann breaks down the key dynamics at play, the senators to watch as the processes unfold, and what could ultimately tip the scales in their favor—or seal their fate.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to analyze the high-stakes confirmation battles of two of Trump’s most contentious cabinet picks: Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and R.F.K. Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Leigh Ann breaks down the key dynamics at play, the senators to watch as the processes unfold, and what could ultimately tip the scales in their favor—or seal their fate.
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Published 2025-02-03

Media Monday: Paramount's Trump Gamble & Peacock's Peril

29 min
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Jon Kelly reunites with Peter to scrutinize the subdued media reaction to the dawn of Trump II—and why it lacks the “five-alarm fire” urgency that defined Trump I. Then they pivot to discuss the looming possibility of Paramount settling Trump’s flimsy lawsuit filed against CBS News, before diving into the fate of Peacock as their financial losses mount and their subscriber growth sputters.
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Jon Kelly reunites with Peter to scrutinize the subdued media reaction to the dawn of Trump II—and why it lacks the “five-alarm fire” urgency that defined Trump I. Then they pivot to discuss the looming possibility of Paramount settling Trump’s flimsy lawsuit filed against CBS News, before diving into the fate of Peacock as their financial losses mount and their subscriber growth sputters.
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Published 2025-01-31

Wall Street’s A.I. Meltdown & Musk’s Washington Makeover

25 min
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Bill Cohan joins Peter to unpack the Wall Street chaos triggered by DeepSeek, a low-cost ChatGPT alternative that sent the Nasdaq tumbling and wiped $600 billion off Nvidia’s value in a single day. Then, the duo explore Elon Musk’s bold push to inject startup culture into Washington—and why that attempt is ultimately destined to fall flat.
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Bill Cohan joins Peter to unpack the Wall Street chaos triggered by DeepSeek, a low-cost ChatGPT alternative that sent the Nasdaq tumbling and wiped $600 billion off Nvidia’s value in a single day. Then, the duo explore Elon Musk’s bold push to inject startup culture into Washington—and why that attempt is ultimately destined to fall flat.
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Published 2025-01-30

An NFL Ratings Mystery & Brady’s $40M Season

24 min
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John Ourand joins Peter to dissect the NFL’s season-long ratings decline. While “Chiefs fatigue” has been a hot topic, is the broader notion of “football fatigue” more accurate? Then they scrutinize Tom Brady’s rookie season as an analyst ahead of his Super Bowl debut, and debate if he’s worth the $40 million salary Fox Sports is dishing out for him.
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John Ourand joins Peter to dissect the NFL’s season-long ratings decline. While “Chiefs fatigue” has been a hot topic, is the broader notion of “football fatigue” more accurate? Then they scrutinize Tom Brady’s rookie season as an analyst ahead of his Super Bowl debut, and debate if he’s worth the $40 million salary Fox Sports is dishing out for him.
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Published 2025-01-29

Trump’s Law & Disorder

25 min
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the flood of legal developments emanating from the new Trump regime—from the firing of career D.O.J. prosecutors to the pause on civil rights and environmental litigation to the murky future of the TikTok ban. Then they dive into what antitrust enforcement might look like under Trump 2.0, as F.T.C. chair Lina Khan exits and Republicans grapple with just how far they’re willing to go in siding with consumers over big business.
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the flood of legal developments emanating from the new Trump regime—from the firing of career D.O.J. prosecutors to the pause on civil rights and environmental litigation to the murky future of the TikTok ban. Then they dive into what antitrust enforcement might look like under Trump 2.0, as F.T.C. chair Lina Khan exits and Republicans grapple with just how far they’re willing to go in siding with consumers over big business.
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Published 2025-01-28

Trump's Divided G.O.P & Cabinet Conundrums

23 min
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Puck’s newest partner and chief Washington correspondent, Leigh Ann Caldwell, joins Peter for an insider’s take on the growing rift within the G.O.P. as they wrestle with whether to roll Trump’s ambitious agenda into one sweeping “big, beautiful bill” or split it in two. Plus, Leigh Ann previews two highly anticipated nomination hearings this week, with Tulsi Gabbard and R.F.K. Jr. gearing up to face intense scrutiny from skeptical Senate committees.
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Puck’s newest partner and chief Washington correspondent, Leigh Ann Caldwell, joins Peter for an insider’s take on the growing rift within the G.O.P. as they wrestle with whether to roll Trump’s ambitious agenda into one sweeping “big, beautiful bill” or split it in two. Plus, Leigh Ann previews two highly anticipated nomination hearings this week, with Tulsi Gabbard and R.F.K. Jr. gearing up to face intense scrutiny from skeptical Senate committees.
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Published 2025-01-27

Media Monday: CNN’s Layoff Aftermath & NFL Streaming Woes

25 min
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Jon Kelly connects with Peter to scrutinize CNN’s post-layoff digital transformation and how long it'll take for Mark Thompson’s vision to come to fruition, before discussing the strategic decisions by the Times, CNN, and other news outlets to tone down their political coverage during Trump 2.0. Finally, they gab about NFL’s declining ratings as Amazon and Netflix become major players in sports media.
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Jon Kelly connects with Peter to scrutinize CNN’s post-layoff digital transformation and how long it'll take for Mark Thompson’s vision to come to fruition, before discussing the strategic decisions by the Times, CNN, and other news outlets to tone down their political coverage during Trump 2.0. Finally, they gab about NFL’s declining ratings as Amazon and Netflix become major players in sports media.
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Published 2025-01-24

Oscars Culture Wars & The Netflix Endgame

23 min
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Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down this year’s Oscar nominations, from the snubs to the surprises—and the picks guaranteed to plug right into the culture wars. Then they dive into Netflix’s latest earnings call, in which the streaming behemoth announced a record-breaking 19 million new subscribers in the last quarter, bringing their total to over 300 million. Matt explains the tactics they can employ to keep justifying their massive Wall Street value.
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Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down this year’s Oscar nominations, from the snubs to the surprises—and the picks guaranteed to plug right into the culture wars. Then they dive into Netflix’s latest earnings call, in which the streaming behemoth announced a record-breaking 19 million new subscribers in the last quarter, bringing their total to over 300 million. Matt explains the tactics they can employ to keep justifying their massive Wall Street value.
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Published 2025-01-23

Trumpocalypse Now

19 min
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Abby Livingston joins Peter to discuss the dawn of Trump’s second term, and his preference for flexing executive power rather than navigating a gridlocked House and Senate. They also dive into Congress’s reaction to the J6 pardons, the Democrats’ messaging strategy, why the upcoming Virginia governor’s race could serve as a good indicator of public sentiment towards Trump, and much more.
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Abby Livingston joins Peter to discuss the dawn of Trump’s second term, and his preference for flexing executive power rather than navigating a gridlocked House and Senate. They also dive into Congress’s reaction to the J6 pardons, the Democrats’ messaging strategy, why the upcoming Virginia governor’s race could serve as a good indicator of public sentiment towards Trump, and much more.
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Published 2025-01-22

The Strange Case of Trump v. CBS News

15 min
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down how CNN ended up paying $5 million to Navy veteran Zachary Young in a stunning, potentially precedent-setting defamation case. Then they dissect Donald Trump’s head-spinning lawsuit accusing ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News of election interference—and why, despite the specious nature of the case, Paramount might settle.
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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down how CNN ended up paying $5 million to Navy veteran Zachary Young in a stunning, potentially precedent-setting defamation case. Then they dissect Donald Trump’s head-spinning lawsuit accusing ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News of election interference—and why, despite the specious nature of the case, Paramount might settle.
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