The Powers That Be: Daily

Eriq Gardner joins Peter Hamby to unpack the ‘Succession’-style courtroom battle enveloping the Murdoch clan as Rupert fights to ensure that his chosen heir, Lachlan, maintains control of his conservative media empire. Then they dig into a pair of defamation lawsuits against CNN and MSNBC.

Jon Kelly and Peter dig into Brian Stelter's return to CNN--and the nature of the network that is welcoming him back. Then the two preview the consequences of Tuesday's presidential debate.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter Hamby to unpack a wholly different angle to the presidential race: the lawsuit brought against Trump by heirs of the soul music icon Isaac Hayes. Sure, there’s a long history of political campaigns using unlicensed hit songs at rallies, but Eriq explains why this case, in particular, could change that practice forever.

Matt Belloni swings by the pod to chat with Peter Hamby about the controversy surrounding “The Apprentice,” the Trump biopic set for theatrical release just before the election. Then they look back at the biggest surprises of the summer box office. 

Tara Palmeri joins Peter Hamby to reveal the inside chatter swirling around D.C. as the presidential race enters its final two-month sprint: the Dems’ remarkable ad spend in battleground states, Harris’s post-D.N.C momentum, the stakes of next week’s ABC debate, and much more.

In a super special episode of The Varsity, Puck’s new podcast on the sports media business, John Ourand chats with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro about the network’s strategic realignment, sports rights deals, talent philosophy and more.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to assess the optics and impact of Kamala Harris’ sit-down with Dana Bash. Then they weigh the ulterior motives of the streaming giants that are interested in Major League Baseball’s local rights. 

The one and only Julia Ioffe joins Peter Hamby to unpack the complexities and geopolitical implications (and political misunderstandings) surrounding the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov. 

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Dylan Byers joins Peter Hamby to reveal how CNN secured the coveted Harris-Walz joint interview, and the low-profile players behind the network’s recent string of high-profile “gets.” Then they dig into the ongoing drama surrounding the Harris-Trump debate on ABC News.

John Ourand swings by the pod to chat with Peter Hamby about the biggest storylines set to dominate this NFL season, from Tom Brady in the broadcast booth to the NFL’s Netflix debut. Plus, they discuss John’s new podcast, The Varsity (which debuts today!), and his inaugural interview with Peyton Manning.

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