The News Agents The $100bn media battle that could change everything
63 snips
Dec 9, 2025 Noah Oppenheim, a television producer and former NBC News president, joins the conversation to discuss his film, A House of Dynamite, which tackles the harrowing theme of a nuclear strike on America. He delves into the Pentagon's pushback over the film's depiction and highlights the importance of bringing nuclear risk back into public discourse. The discussion also touches on the impact of recent crises on public interest in catastrophic narratives and how films can spark ideologically diverse conversations on nuclear policy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Streaming Meets Hollywood: A Cultural Colossus
- A Netflix–Warner takeover would create the single biggest narrative institution on Earth.
- That merger would concentrate cultural and entertainment power unlike anything regulators have seen.
Ellison And Kushner In The Bidding Room
- Paramount's hostile $108bn bid is backed by David Ellison and the Ellison family fortune.
- Jared Kushner's private equity involvement ties the deal to Trump's circle and raises nepotism concerns.
Deal Is As Much Political As Commercial
- Regulators and politicians immediately framed the deal as an antitrust and democracy issue.
- Senators like Elizabeth Warren called it an anti‑monopoly nightmare with broad political consequences.