The Media Front
A.J. Katz On Media and Politics
A.J. Katz is Media Editor at TheWrap, overseeing coverage of the industry, and with an emphasis on the intersection of media and politics.
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For Media CEOs in the News Business, Trump Turns M&A Dreams Into a Quid Pro Quo
Pressure on Paramount over “60 Minutes” could preview deal-making challenges for other studios like WBD and Comcast
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Columns
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How George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’ Prequels Unexpectedly Saw the Future
As “Revenge of the Sith” hits 20, its much-derided emphasis on trade wars and the mechanics of a crumbling republic might deserve an apology today
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Columns
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With His ’60 Minutes’ Coup, Trump Sends a Not-So-Subtle Message to the Press
The resignation of producer Bill Owens could send a chill through other news outlets, even if CBS was uniquely vulnerable
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Columns
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Trump Can’t Say It Out Loud, but He Really Doesn’t Like the First Amendment
The president’s attacks on “60 Minutes,” cable news and the AP underscore the hypocrisy of “Free speech for me, but not for thee”
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Columns
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How the NBA Got Its Groove Back: Strategic Trades and Rising Stars Deliver a Rebound
A series of midseason deals put the focus on the league’s stars and lifted ratings, while its international appeal reflects an enviable global profile
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Columns
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Did Bill Maher Normalize Trump by Going to the White House?
The ever-defiant comic defended his “just asking questions” dinner with the president in the HBO host’s latest bid for attention by provoking the left
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Columns
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Return the White House Correspondents Dinner to Its Journalism Roots
By disinviting Amber Ruffin, the most thankless gig in stand-up demonstrates why Washington’s “nerd prom” should give up on providing showbiz flair
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Columns
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Want to Escape Bad Tariff News? Try ‘Fox & Friends’
Fox News has remained steadfast in supporting Trump amid second-guessing elsewhere, while employing a familiar tactic: Changing the subject
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Columns
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Roll the Tape: NCAA Basketball Falls Victim to TV Sports’ Interminable Call Reviews
College hoops’ top showcase irritated fans by dragging out games as officials stop the action to review every close play
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Business
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‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Became a Symbol. That Took Its Toll as a TV Show
The Hulu series struck a cultural nerve when it premiered in 2017, but the intrusion of reality added degrees of difficulty to the drama
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Columns
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‘The Studio’ Takes Another Whack at Hollywood, but With Rare Sympathy for the Suits
Seth Rogen’s Apple series focuses on showbiz absurdities, but it’s also uncharacteristically generous to executives who call the shots
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Columns
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Less ‘West Wing,’ More TikTok: How Democrats Are Losing the Messaging Wars
Liberals have Hollywood talent in their corner. But that reflects a long-form mentality in what’s increasingly a bite-sized media landscape
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Columns
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The Signalgate Group Chat: Team Trump Tests the Limits of Shooting the Messenger
Demonizing the press remains a strategy, but Trump officials can’t effectively blame Jeffrey Goldberg for what’s clearly their screw-up
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Columns
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Why ‘Severance’ Speaks to the Current Moment of Distrust of Corporations and Technology
In Hollywood, Apple’s mysterious drama taps into fears that followed the WGA/SAG strikes
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Columns
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Faced With Trump’s Attacks, Public Figures Are Clapping Back Less and Less
Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace and Seth Meyers are among those who stayed mum after Trump lashed out. Think of it as a new PR strategy
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Columns
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