@matthewkeys.net
Journalist who covers the transformation of the media industry after working in it for years. Previously worked for Reuters, Disney-ABC, Tribune Media. Sacramento = Home. Light the Beam 🔦🟣 🌐: matthewkeys.net ✏️: @thedesk.net 📧: matthew@matthewkeys.net
Remember when Kari Lake called our coverage of her firings at Voice of America "fake news?"
Turns out, her job was fake.
The decision on Saturday now leaves open the possibility that her actions — from signing a deal to bring One America News to VOA, to her mass firings — will be reversed.
It’s been so long.
EXCLUSIVE: Last Friday, Court TV accidentally exposed the real-world identity of an undercover police officer in Salt Lake City during a high-profile murder trial there.
The gaffe came several weeks after Court TV warned dozens of employees about forthcoming layoffs.
Insurance companies are cancelling "war-risk" clauses in their contracts with marine vessels that are operating in the Middle East. [The Guardian]
EXCLUSIVE: Last Friday, Court TV accidentally exposed the real-world identity of an undercover police officer in Salt Lake City during a high-profile murder trial there.
The gaffe came several weeks after Court TV warned dozens of employees about forthcoming layoffs.
Three people are dead and more than a dozen in a bar shooting in Austin; Texas; law enforcement are probing a possible terrorism link. [Sky News]
Reuters: Americans and Israelis targeted Iranian Supreme Leader and the country's president in air strikes.
#BREAKING: Reports that Iranian missiles have successfully struck a U.S. Navy base in Bahrain, eyewitness photos show large plume of smoke coming from the area of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
#BREAKING: Qatari government issues emergency alerts after Iran launches strikes against American interests in that country and others, including Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Bahrain. -Al Jazeera
California has a vested interest in any transaction between the two companies:
Paramount and Warner Bros have massive film/TV studios in the Golden State; a tie-up between the two could result in hundreds, if not thousands, of job redundancies/eliminations.
Paramount also owns 6 TV stations here.
#BREAKING: California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state's Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Paramount's offer for Warner Bros Discovery.
Netflix says it is no longer interested in Warner Bros Discovery, clearing the way for Paramount to acquire the company.
#BREAKING: Board at Warner Bros Discovery says Paramount's latest offer is "superior," gives Netflix four days to match the offer, Bloomberg reports.
WBD board says it still favors Netflix transaction.
The CEO of Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, is defending a sizable donation made toward the White House ballroom renovation project.
"If something like that were to be celebrated in Germany, Deutsche Telekom would also sponsor it," he said. [Light Reading]
Sources have told me the deal is being held up by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has struggled with higher turnover, resulting in the need for Nexstar to constantly "catch up" new staff, particularly in the antitrust division.
The FCC is ready to approve the deal today, two sources said.
The E. W. Scripps Company says it is re-acquiring around two dozen Ion TV affiliates that were divested in 2021 to satisfy FCC ownership rules.
With the rules now poised for elimination, Scripps said re-acquiring the stations will be accretive to its networks business unit.
One of the wildest layoffs is Mark Kriski, who has been with KTLA since the morning news show started in 1991.
Kriski has taken brief leaves of absence due to health-related issues, including a mild stroke, over the past few years.
Today, Nexstar gave him a pink slip.
#BREAKING: Television broadcaster Sinclair revealed the company lost $112 million during 2025 as ongoing softness in the advertising market and lower distribution fees from cable and satellite partners chipped away at overall revenue.
More people are listening to podcasts than talk radio, according to the latest "Share of Ear" report released by Edison Research.
The report marks the first time that podcasts have overtaken talk radio in that category. [TechCrunch]
We're winning so much in this country that candy maker Jelly Belly is going on a hiring spree, onboarding thousands of new workers at its headquarters in Northern California.
No, I'm just kidding. They're laying off 69 workers and closing their administrative offices.
The FCC can't directly interfere with private contracts between sports leagues and streamers.
But the probe could influence policy decisions on other matters, like whether to raise/eliminate the TV ownership cap or impose tougher rules on streaming cable-like services owned by YouTube and others.
#BREAKING: The Cuban Coast Guard has fatally shot four people who were aboard an American speedboat, Bloomberg reports.
New York Times: The Justice Department has not released Epstein-related documents related to a woman's unverified accusation about President Donald Trump. [gift link]
T-Mobile says its wireless customers can now have home Internet equipment delivered via DoorDash when they sign up for service through the T-Life app.
It's a news program. The ratings don't matter, because there are no ad breaks, so nothing to sell against. (Not to say it won't be rated — but it's just bragging rights among the networks.)
This speech is a complete waste of time.
There are reports that the State of the Union address is expected to exceed two hours, based on prepared remarks with time for applause.
YouTube Premium Lite just got a huge update: For $8 per month (U.S. market), YouTube subscribers can stream most videos without ads — and, now, they can download videos for offline playback (within the app) and stream videos in the background.
Is this enough to get you to subscribe?
