The Powers That Be: Daily

Varsity favorite Andrew Marchand reunites with John to debate the week’s biggest sports-media plot lines: the NFL’s holiday-week stacked matchups and Amazon Prime’s outsized role in juicing viewership; MLB’s new media-rights math; ESPN’s quiet strategic wins; and whether streamers like YouTube are ready to jump into the next bidding war. Plus: what Netflix poaching ESPN talent like Elle Duncan really signals about the streamer’s accelerating pivot into sports. For more great episodes of The Varsity, subscribe here 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

Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the latest twists in the never-ending Nuzzigate saga, as Olivia Nuzzi and her angry ex-fiancé Ryan Lizza keep trading barbs around this week’s release of Nuzzi’s “tell-nothing” memoir. They also dig into CNN’s new deal with prediction market Kalshi—further gamifying cable news and amplifying the media’s obsession with predicting the future. 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

Matt Belloni joins Peter to pull back the velvet curtain on Oscars campaign season, where agents, publicists, and stars are already gearing up for the big awards push. Matt breaks down the early frontrunners—and which Hollywood heavyweights might get cold-shouldered by the Academy. See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 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

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to discuss the newest frontier in American campaign politics: the deep-pocketed, scorched-earth war against politicians who dare to regulate artificial intelligence. As Ian explains, Silicon Valley giants—from OpenAI to Andreessen Horowitz—are ponying up millions to kneecap Democrats pushing for oversight of these fast-growing, opaque, and increasingly powerful companies. See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 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

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down today’s House vote to finally unleash the Epstein files—after Trump’s weekend about-face when he realized mass Republican defections were inevitable. They also dig into the G.O.P.’s healthcare quagmire as worries mount over Obamacare subsidies disappearing, leaving them on the defensive heading into an election year. See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 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 returns to the booth for a candid chat with Peter about what really went down regarding RedBird’s decision to pull the plug on its Telegraph deal—the latest unexpected turn of events in a multi-year saga filled with a potent mix of private equity, enraged journalists, Emiratis, and U.K. regulators. The duo also explore the dynamics of the Disney-YouTube TV negotiations. See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 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

Steve Bornstein, the architect behind both ESPN’s golden age and the launch of NFL Network, joins John to remember the late, great Paul Tagliabue—the commissioner who helped turn football into a billion-dollar religion. Bornstein also offers a seasoned view on today’s sports media circus, from the streaming wars to A.I.’s slow invasion of the industry. 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

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down Paramount’s first earnings call since merging with Skydance—which, ironically, was barely about earnings at all. Instead, David Ellison dazzled Wall Street with talk of new investments, new technology, and, of course, some important cost-cutting measures. Bill reads the tea leaves on what’s next for Ellison and Co.—and whether acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery fits in the plan. See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . . . 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

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter with the inside scoop on why the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is likely to come to an end this week—thanks to a few Senate Democrats who broke ranks and braved the wrath of their own base to cut a deal with Republicans. Plus, Leigh Ann on the Hill’s latest parlor game: is Chuck Schumer still the Democrats’ guy, or just the last one to know he’s not? See all the ways bp is investing in America at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . . . 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

Lauren Sherman joins Peter to debrief after Fashion Month in Paris and Milan, where the major houses were under serious pressure to deliver. Lauren breaks down the season’s winners and losers—and dissects some of the rising trends this season, including Ozempic hips, 80s fashion throwbacks, and more. 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

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to reveal what military officers are telling her about Donald Trump’s plans to deploy troops to American cities. As Julia explains, many officers feel bound by the chain of command, even as they quietly worry about the precedent—but the real question is how this affects Americans’ faith in their armed forces. 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

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss the state of play surrounding the week-old government shutdown, as Democrats seem to be winning the messaging war and early polls suggest that Trump and Republicans are taking most of the blame. Can Trump and Speaker Johnson actually convince Americans they're not trying to gut health care benefits? What points of leverage do the parties have at their disposal? And what might eventually break the impasse? 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