logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
19m 52s

Paramount, Skydance and the streaming wa...

Financial Times & Pushkin Industries
About this episode

Paramount and Skydance are merging. That’s a win for David Ellison, whose small studio will join a legendary one with a huge back catalogue and a nascent streaming platform. But is this merger of the old and new enough to compete in the new Hollywood? Today on the show, Robert Armstrong and deals reporter James Fontanella-Khan talk about the Paramount deal and the future of entertainment. Also, we take sides in the Euro soccer/football final this weekend.


Unhedged Listener Survey  

Terms & Conditions


For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer


You can email Robert Armstrong at robert.armstrong@ft.com and Katie Martin at katie.martin@ft.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
AI peak is peak AI
Is AI making everybody richer? Or just more entangled in each others’ business? Today on the show, Rob Armstrong and Lex editor John Foley try to untangle the growing web of companies investing in each other. Also they go long steak and long cocoa. For a free 30-day trial to the ... Show More
21m 9s
Yesterday
Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy
Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re e ... Show More
2m 16s
Oct 7
Gold Now! Gold Forever! Only Gold! Gold! Gold!
Gold keeps hitting all-time highs, and no sober talk about speculation or productivity has stopped it. Today on the show, Rob Armstrong and Katie Martin take stock of the frenzy. Also they go short the yen and long Japanese stocks. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newslett ... Show More
19m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 16
David Ellison Bought Paramount. Now He Wants Warner Bros. Plus, the 2025 Emmys Recap.
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and LightShed’s Rich Greenfield to discuss the report that David Ellison is interested in making a majority-cash bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Matt, Lucas, and Rich discuss why Ellison is doing this now after just acquiring Paramo ... Show More
41m 24s
Sep 2024
Jeff Wachtel, Lucas Green and Thomas Vinterberg
Jeff Wachtel, the former boss of USA Network and NBCUniversal International Studios, on new venture Future Shack Entertainment and today's rapidly changing TV landscape [00:43]; Banijay's Lucas Green on why branded entertainment is crucial to the future of formats and how Big Bro ... Show More
1h 10m
Jul 2024
Burning Questions About the Future of Paramount
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look at what the future holds for Paramount now that David Ellison now that he has purchased the legacy media company from Shari Redstone. They discuss what will happen to Paramounts assets, including CBS, Pluto, Paramount+, as well as ... Show More
32m 24s
Sep 22
Disney Says ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ to Return After Backlash
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Walt Disney Co. said Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air on Tuesday, ending a suspension imposed following controversial remarks the ABC late-night host made about the assassination of Republican activist ... Show More
34m 25s
Sep 16
Paramount’s New Top Gun
After two years of drama, David Ellison got his merger with the historic studio. The reward is a company in existential crisis. What’s his plan to save it? By Lucas Shaw and Hannah MillerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
26m 50s
Feb 2025
Book: Tech Billionaires Threaten Free Speech
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Mastercard’s Chief Innovation Officer Ken Moore discusses the firm's Future of Payments report. Journalist and Author Eoin Higgins talks about his book Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loude ... Show More
22m 1s
Feb 2022
Global swoop again, Tik Tok explodes... and a farewell to Jamal
The BBC lets two more leading broadcasters slip away to Global. This time it’s Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel. Why does it keep happening? And what’s the strategy at LBC? Gill Hind (Enders Analysis) & Faraz Osman (Gold Wala) join Matt Deegan to discuss the week's media news. Also on ... Show More
40m 51s
Oct 7
Paramount Buys the Free Press, Names Bari Weiss CBS News Chief
Paramount Skydance Corp. acquired the online news site the Free Press and named founder Bari Weiss editor-in-chief of CBS News, a move likely to stir controversy inside and outside of the venerable news organization.Weiss, 41, will report to Paramount Chief Executive Officer Davi ... Show More
7m 9s
May 2023
Jonah Peretti, Nick Denton and Ben Smith on digital news’ past and future
It’s our first four-way pod, featuring BuzzFeed founder Jonah Peretti, Gawker founder Nick Denton, and Semafor founder (and former editor-in-chief of the recently shuttered BuzzFeed News) Ben Smith, who wrote a book about them both. Peter Kafka talks to all of them in conjunction ... Show More
36m 30s
Sep 18
How Larry Ellison (Briefly) Became the World's Richest Person
The Oracle co-founder is almost as wealthy as Elon Musk, and he’s in the middle of the AI revolution, the future of entertainment, and maybe even a deal for TikTok. WSJ’s Sebastian Herrera explains why, at 81 years old, Larry Ellison is more powerful than ever. Ryan Knuston hosts ... Show More
18m 28s