The Town with Matthew Belloni Paramount’s New Playbook Unveiled and the Taylor Swift Podcast Bounce
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Aug 15, 2025 
Brooks Barnes, a NYT staff reporter covering Hollywood, joins to discuss Paramount's new direction under David Ellison. They dive into strategic shifts in theater windows and content spend, touching on potential sales of cable assets like MTV. The duo also tackles the impact of transparency in leadership and ongoing changes in media ownership. As a fun wrap-up, they predict how Taylor Swift's appearance on a popular podcast will affect listener engagement and viewership, showcasing her powerful influence in today's media landscape.
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Ellison Sets A New Tone
- David Ellison signaled a clear new direction at Paramount with high-level priorities and attention to technology and talent.
- The presentation mixed practiced corporate lines with moments of genuine clarity about fixing legacy failures.
Media Tour To Win Hollywood Favor
- The coast-to-coast media roadshow aimed to win Hollywood press support and signal operational change.
- Brooks Barnes saw the effort as strategic communication led by experienced PR leadership.
Tech Failures Acknowledged
- Ellison displayed a distinct shift when discussing technology, bluntly admitting past failures.
- That candid stance suggested he understands where the company needs to modernize to succeed.