Who’s Really Writing the Stories That Shape Our World?

This week, we dive into the high-stakes power play unfolding in Hollywood as Netflix and Paramount battle to take over Warner Bros. What looks like a blockbuster business deal is, in fact, a global struggle over who gets to shape the stories that define how we think, feel, and remember.

Farzana explores the soft power implications of the deal, asking what happens when control of cultural narratives shifts to private or even foreign-backed hands. Doug examines the potential impact on creators, especially if Netflix, known for tight content licensing, wins control of vast historical archives. David brings in insider chatter from Hollywood, where some fear the deal could spell the end of cinema as we know it.

Also in this episode, we unpack why the UK is launching a legal PR offensive to keep English law as the gold standard for global deals and how Singapore is emerging as a serious contender.

Plus, is the US hurting its tourism brand with new visa requirements demanding access to social media history? And what can Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media teach us about digital policy and parental reality?

Listen For

3:53 How would this merger reshape global storytelling and soft power?

6:58 Why is the UK promoting English law as a global standard?

10:12 What makes Singapore law a serious competitor to English law?

15:39 Will new US visa rules scare away global travelers and harm tourism?

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