The Powers That Be: Daily

Ace media reporter Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the latest machinations at NBC News, where Chuck Todd is trying, once again, to reboot a historic franchise. And Puck’s VP extraordinaire Alex Bigler shares the latest dish in a special installment of Feedback Friday. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about you...

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to break down Pennsylvania’s kookoo electoral results—“Dave” vs. Oz, Fetterman, and all the “election truther” nonsense. And Tara Palmeri breaks down this season’s succession games in D.C., including the biggest of them all: who will replace Pelosi? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about y...

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss Larry Ellison’s incredible journey from Clinton buddy to Trump booster and more. And Julia Ioffe explains the latest calculations about the war in Ukraine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to discuss the tragedy in Buffalo and the intellectual fallacies of Samuel Alito’s leaked decision. Then Tina Nguyen previews the G.O.P.’s nightmare election—a hedge fund centamillionaire vs Dr. Oz vs a Jan 6th flag-waver, all fighting for the hearts and minds of the Keystone State. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacy...

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a spirited discussion of Elon Musk’s latest Twitter negotiating tactic—and the potential various outcomes for the company once Musk gets his hands on the wheel. They also discuss Tom Brady’s mega-deal, both what it means for the future of linear and Fox, itself.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Le...

Matt Belloni joins Peter to make sense of the latest battles in the streaming wars, and project who might eventually come out on top. Then Puck’s favorite vice president, Alex Bigler, drops by to explain what the community is fired up about this week. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Dylan Byers joins Peter to explain what's really going on inside CNN under new C.E.O. Chris Licht. Can the network become a centrist behemoth? Can Licht navigate a path forward by being an anti-Zucker? Licht's vision may have sounded good in the pitch room to Zaz, but can it actually work? And Tara Palmeri swings by to discuss the dysfunction inside Biden's West Wing.  To learn more about listener...

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to discuss Washington’s new favorite parlor game: Who leaked the Supreme Court’s draft ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, how did it end up in the hands of a national security reporter, and what were they really hoping to accomplish? Then Bill Cohan stops by to explain Elon’s latest brain-rattling back-up plan to find equity for Twitter.  To learn more about listener data and...

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the insidious biographical roots of Putin’s rage. And then Tina Nguyen joins to explain how MAGA fakers Dr. Oz and David “Dave” McCormick are eating each others’ eyeballs out to the point that they both might lose the Pennsylvania G.O.P. primary. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more...

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a spirited Media Monday conversation about Chris Licht’s strategy at CNN—distancing himself from Zucker’s legacy, being involved while being above the fray, managing more than micro-producing. Will it work? And then they talk about Vice’s reported parts sale and next steps and what it says about Web 2.0. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: h...

Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss D.C.'s lingering media challenge, which lies beneath its WASPy, white-teeth clenched smile culture. And ace marketing whiz Alex Bigler swings by to share some exclusive reader feedback.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/ad...

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to discuss how enterprising hillbilly candidate J.D. Vance milked Peter Thiel and Donald Trump for more money and a life-changing endorsement, and what it means for the berserk race between Dr. Oz and David McCormick in Pennsylvania. Then Ben Landy brings us into the Puck newsroom with updates on Elon, Ackman, and Roe. To learn more about listener data and our privacy pract...

Dylan Byers joins Peter Hamby to discuss the latest dish on Semafor, the Ben & Justin Smith new mediaco: who they've tried to recruit, the interesting model, and what the company is really trying to do—and be. Teddy Schleifer also joins to discuss Elon Musk's bizarre deal history. Turns out Twitter is really of a piece with his eccentric history of leveraging himself into oblivion. To learn more a...

Puck’s senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss the stunning revelation that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, what it means for women, what it means for the midterms, and whether there’s anything that Democrats can do to stop it. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about...

William D. Cohan joins Peter to discuss the bull and bear case for Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the deal’s nine-figure escape clause, and how Wall Street’s biggest banks are betting on the outcome. Then Eriq Gardner swings by to explain how Netflix can recover from one of the most shocking downturns in Hollywood history.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https:/...

Jon Kelly talks with Peter about the public markets media meltdown—all the Netflix player haters, the Spotify mini-correction, and how media narratives are killing the media business. They also discuss the latest Twitter dish before Dylan Byers offers his recap of the White House Correspondents Weekend. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/pr...

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss Elon Musk’s crazy past few years—how a guy running an underperforming public company (Tesla) became the world’s richest man, a political icon, and the putative owner of Twitter. It wasn’t always a straight line. And then Eriq Gardner explains HBO’s NBA headache and the NFL’s crafty workaround. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:...

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the latest turns in Russia’s war with Ukraine, and how the White House has decidedly changed its stance. Also: what’s with all these rumors of Putin’s decline? And Tina Nguyen explains why Trump will scorn Elon Musk till the bitter end. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about you...

Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the backroom conversations taking place both at Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN. What happens to the star anchors? Did Jason Kilar wear metal ear plugs? Why do the old Time Warner assets keep getting divorced? And then Baratunde Thurston explains how Twitter became, well, Twitter. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audac...

William D. Cohan, who called the Musk takeover all along, talks to Peter about the next steps in the twitter takeover process. And Julia Ioffe swings by to discuss the latest in Russia’s war.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Kelly and Peter discuss the inside story behind David Zaslav’s decision to kill off CNN+: the personal beefs, the strategic blunders, the Kilar of it all, and the deeper and more sinister truth… Warner Bros. Discovery isn’t a media company so much as it’s a highly-levered and financially engineered corporate marriage of necessity. Zaz needs another Game of Thrones less than he needs $14 billio...

Matt Belloni talks to Peter about some of the more head-spinning details of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard libel case. Jon Kelly discusses the major news out of Netflix and CNN. And Alex Bigler explains the feedback that we're getting here at Puck. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https:...

Yes, everyone in Hollywood is going bananas over the awful Netflix numbers but Eriq Gardner talks to Peter about a far more sinister story in Hollywood: a coming copyright apocalypse that could jeopardize some of the biggest characters and franchises in history. And Ben Landy swings by to, yes, explain those awful Netflix numbers and discuss the CNN pivot, too. To learn more about listener data an...

William D. Cohan talks with Peter about Elon Musk’s remaining obstacles to take over Twitter, why so much of the conventional wisdom is wrong and how he could finance the deal. Meanwhile, Teddy Schleifer explains Peter Thiel’s complex political ambitions. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss Putin’s military plans, his moves in the east of Ukraine, and Mariupol, and how the martial games will play out. Then Tina Nguyen swings by to discuss Trump’s endorsement algorithm and what it means for 2024. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://...