CNN and CBS executives are beginning to compare notes as David Ellison's deal moves closer to reality, with senior leaders from both organizations holding integration meetings and weighing what a combined future could look like.

Then, new reporting reveals what Jeff Bezos told Donald Trump behind closed doors about The Washington Post. Bezos reportedly described the paper as his worst investment and complained that its employees don't listen to him, raising fresh questions about his stewardship.

Finally, conservative media figures are turning on Trump's Iran deal. From the Murdoch-owned Fox News and New York Post to Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and other prominent voices on the right, the backlash is raising questions about whether Trump's grip on conservative media is beginning to loosen.

Plus, it's a new edition of Open Lines. Leave a question in the comments for a chance to be featured on next week's show!

0:00 Intro

1:22 CNN Presents to Bari Weiss and CBS News Ahead of Potential Merger

12:10 Kara Swisher Wants Out at CNN Before Ellison Takeover

18:40 Bezos Blasts WaPo Staff in Private Trump Meeting

30:11 MAGA Media Blasts Trump’s Iran Deal

43:47 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

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On today’s episode:

Exclusive reporting on Bari Weiss, who has isolated herself within CBS News as David Ellison and network executives work to clean up her mess at “60 Minutes.” The crisis raises the question: How could she possibly run CNN after her mismanagement at CBS News? Then, the curious disappearance of CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale, who hasn't been seen on TV in more than three months. Oliver and Jon discuss why CNN may have benched one of its most popular on-air talents. Finally, Media Matters has been forced to cut staff in the face of a costly legal war from Elon Musk, who once called himself a “free speech absolutist.” What’s really behind the litigation?

Plus your questions in the latest edition of Open Lines.

Read these stories and more at Status: http://www.status.news

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code STATUS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/status

0:00 Intro

1:29 Bari Weiss is MIA as Ellison Cleans Up Her Mess at 60 Minutes

30:32 Where is CNN’s Daniel Dale?

43:21 Media Matters Downsizes After Elon Musk Lawsuit

55:20 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

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Bari Weiss has plunged “60 Minutes” into unprecedented chaos after firing Scott Pelley, who objected to her radical overhaul of the storied newsmagazine. Jon and Oliver discuss their exclusive reporting, from details on Pelley’s explosive confrontation with CBS News brass, to whether the remaining “60 Minutes” correspondents might call it quits, to what staffers at the show are quietly saying behind the scenes.

Read these stories and more at: https://www.status.news/

0:00 Intro

1:14 Inside Scott Pelley’s Firing from “60 Minutes”

20:04 The Secret Meeting Between Remaining “60” Correspondents

33:52 Pelley Accuses Network of Injecting Bias in Reporting

42:20 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

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Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino deliver sharp media industry analysis every Friday.

On today’s episode: 

Bari Weiss and David Ellison have dismantled “60 Minutes.” On the heels of the storied franchise winning two Emmys, and CBS News being called out publicly by the winner of the Mike Wallace Memorial Scholarship, Weiss leveled the staff, dismissing Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and Tanya Simon, among others. Simon will be replaced by technology journalist Nick Bilton who, like Weiss, has no experience running a television franchise. Oliver and Jon wade through the disheartening news and point to the obvious reason why this happened.

Also, journalists, academics, and documentarians signed a letter pushing back on Paramount’s acquisition of CNN. And finally, was Tony Dokoupil actually able to eclipse the four million viewer mark?! CBS says yes, but we’ll explain why that claim isn’t quite accurate.

0:00 Intro

1:36 Inside Bari Weiss’ 60 Minutes Shakeup

28:52 The Press Mobilizes Against Ellison

34:13 Investigating CBS’ Claims on Latest Ratings Data

40:35 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

Thanks to our sponsor, beehiiv, the platform that powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino deliver sharp media industry analysis every Friday.

On today’s episode:

Questions are swirling about Bari Weiss’ future atop CBS News after a report said Paramount has had conversations about narrowing her role—we break down David Ellison’s carefully worded denial and whether Weiss is in any real trouble.

Read these stories and more at Status: https://www.status.news/

Thanks to our sponsor, beehiiv, who powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status

0:00 Intro

1:16 Is Bari Weiss Being Pushed Out at CBS News?

16:56 The End of The Late Show

22:16 Bezos Says Trump Is "Calmer," Defends WaPo Cuts

31:27 Daily Wire in Turmoil as Ben Shapiro Loses Allies

44:06 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

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Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino deliver sharp media industry analysis every Friday.

On this week’s episode:

CBS News not only failed to secure a visa for Tony Dokoupil to broadcast from Beijing during Donald Trump’s China trip, but the network was barred by its hotel from broadcasting from its grounds, Status has learned. The embarrassing fiasco adds to a slew of negative headlines the Bari Weiss-led network has faced this week. We discuss how Weiss undermined “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl by handing Major Garrett the Benjamin Netanyahu interview, as Status also first reported.

Plus, The New York Times is grappling with blowback after Nicholas Kristof’s shocking opinion piece alleging Israel has systematically raped Palestinian prisoners. And we break down another Status exclusive report—this one about how POLITICO owner Mathias Döpfner has been quietly courting Trump, with secret dinner invites in Washington and a personal trip to the Middle East.

0:00 Intro

1:23 CBS News Fails to Secure Visa for Dokoupil

6:47 Latest ‘CBS Evening News’ Ratings Data

8:53 Inside ‘60 Minutes’ Staff Fallout after Netanyahu Interview

19:16 Israel Threatens The New York Times Over Kristof Piece

35:14 POLITICO Owner Quietly Courts Trump

44:19 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

Thank you to our sponsor, beehiiv, the platform that powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status

Interested in what we’re discussing? Read more from Status:

https://www.status.news/p/tony-dokoupil-cbs-evening-news-taiwan-bari-weiss

https://www.status.news/p/60-minutes-netanyahu-bari-weiss-major-garrett

https://www.status.news/p/nicholas-kristof-israel-new-york-times

https://www.status.news/p/mathias-dopfner-donald-trump-meeting-axel-springer

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Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino deliver sharp media industry analysis every Friday.

On today’s episode: 

Christiane Amanpour has become the first CNN star to say the quiet part out loud about David Ellison's upcoming takeover. Bari Weiss is in ratings hell—and under fire from a “60 Minutes” correspondent. Meanwhile, some of Substack’s biggest publishers are eyeing the exits, while James Murdoch moves closer to building a media empire of his own with a deal for Vox’s podcast network and New York Magazine.

Read all of these stories and more at Status: https://www.status.news

0:00 Intro

1:43 Christiane Amanpour Speaks Out on CNN's Ellison Takeover

5:55 Bari Weiss' Ratings Spiral, 60 Minutes Correspondent Pushes Back

18:12 James Murdoch Moves on Vox Podcasts and New York Magazine

31:15 Substack's Biggest Publishers Eye the Exits

49:45 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer Your Questions

Thank you to our sponsor, beehiiv, the platform that  powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino deliver sharp media industry analysis every Friday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino:

David Ellison is set to host an "intimate" dinner “honoring the Trump White House,” according to an invite that we got our hands on. The event is ostensibly a “celebration of the First Amendment” and will include CBS White House correspondents. Of course, inviting the very people who assail the First Amendment to an event celebrating it makes little sense. Oliver and Jon break down the details and explain what is really going on.

Next, Oliver and Jon explain how they were victims of actual “fake news” this week, when Mediaite published a false story about Status, complete with a fabricated quote attributed to Jon. We’ll take you through what happened.

And finally, Trump suffers a huge loss in court at the hands of Rupert Murdoch.

Plus, we announce our new voicemail line during another edition of Open Lines. Give us a call at (646) 926-0325‬. Leave a message, ask a question, or just scream into the phone for a couple of minutes. We’d love to feature you on the show!

Thank you to our sponsor, beehiiv, the platform that powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status

0:00 Intro

1:18 Inside David Ellison’s Private Dinner Honoring the Trump White House

15:29 We Were Victims of Actual Fake News

34:05 Murdoch Beats Trump in Court

39:39 Open Lines: Oliver and Jon Answer your Questions

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