Former FCC Commissioner and new Media Institute President Michael O’Rielly said in a blog post Sunday that the institute should “engage and embrace” tech companies and appeared to suggest that it will become more involved in litigation over free speech rights. O’Rielly also said he will continue to work as a private consultant while serving as president. Sunday was O'Rielly's first day on the job, he told us, with former President Rick Kaplar stepping down Friday as planned (see 2512100070).
The arrest of former CNN host Don Lemon by federal agents "raises profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment," the network wrote Friday on social media. DOJ failed twice to get an arrest warrant in Minnesota for Lemon and other journalists, as a federal judge found that there was no evidence that their work involved any criminal behavior, CNN noted. DOJ's attempt to violate First Amendment rights "is unacceptable."
YouTube will soon launch a customizable multiview capability for YouTube TV, its virtual MVPD service, as well as more than 10 specialized plans in such areas as sports, entertainment and news, CEO Neal Mohan wrote last week.
Paramount Skydance said Thursday that it was extending its $30-a-share all-cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery a month to Feb. 20, adding to the time it has to persuade shareholders to opt for its deal over a rival bid from Netflix. Earlier this week, Netflix revised its offer of $27.75 per share to an all-cash bid (see 2601210006). Paramount also said it filed preliminary proxy materials with the SEC soliciting WBD shareholders to vote against the Netflix transaction.
Netflix's move to amend its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash offer speeds up the timeline for when the deal could potentially close, MoffettNathanson said Tuesday after Netflix announced the change to its original cash and equity bid. MoffettNathanson said WBD shareholders are expected to vote on the deal by April, and Netflix's amended bid likely puts more pressure on Paramount Skydance to potentially increase its rival offer.
Spending worldwide on video content will hit $255 billion this year, up 2% over 2025, Ampere Analysis said Monday. Spending by global streaming platforms is continuing to drive the growth, it said. Streamers overtook commercial broadcasters in 2025 in share of content spending, and 2026 will see streamers building on that lead, Ampere predicted.
Fox's motion to dismiss Newsmax Broadcasting's antitrust complaint (see 2511260028) doesn't meaningfully grapple with the facts but rather "attacks a caricature of Newsmax’s complaint and ... relies on cherry-picked statements and documents," Newsmax told the U.S. District Court for Western Wisconsin this week. In an opposition to Fox's motion to dismiss (docket 3:25-cv-00770), Newsmax said its complaint offers ample details to show how Fox has monopoly power. Fox has used exclusivity agreements to prevent and delay competition, Newsmax said, adding that it doesn't have access to any such secret agreements. "For obvious reasons, the issues of antitrust injury, harm to competition, and damages typically involve full discovery and extensive expert testimony," and thus the motion to dismiss should be denied.
Paramount Skydance is insisting its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is a better deal for WBD shareholders than Netflix's. "Our offer clearly provides WBD investors greater value and a more certain, expedited path to completion," Paramount CEO David Ellison said Thursday, a day after WBD's board again rejected Paramount's bid in favor of Netflix's (see 2601070048).
Congress, federal agencies and the courts should act to rein in “Big Tech” before broadcast media and other industries and institutions are “damaged beyond recognition or repair,” wrote former FCC aide Adonis Hoffman in an op-ed Thursday for The Hill, which is owned by broadcaster Nexstar. While lawmakers and regulators “dither,” the large tech companies “that control access to customers, paychecks and audiences continue to expand their reach without meaningful restraint.”
Warner Bros. Discovery has again urged its shareholders to choose the purchase offer from Netflix and to ignore the hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance. Paramount's amended offer (see 2512220028) remains "inadequate," WBD's board said Wednesday in a letter to shareholders. It comes with "significant costs, risks and uncertainties as compared to the Netflix merger." The WBD board also urged shareholders last month to reject Paramount's offer (see 2512170049).