Justin LyonFeb 27
Dan Gillmor

So it looks like Larry Ellison's going to be pulling the puppet strings at CNN, not just CBS "News" -- another domino falling in the right-wing extremists' war on honest journalism.

Neither of those outlets has been remotely perfect in the past. But they're heading toward Fox Lite status now.

Feb 27 at 12:14amFedica
Show threadDan GillmorFeb 27
I'm going to post a comprehensive list of the news sources I rely on. Working on it now.
Show threadwhooshFeb 27
@dangillmor , As I think about this, I realize that all my news sources are already in an .opml list, since I take my news via RSS feedreader. Of course, my needs aren't complete.
Show threadMozFeb 27
@dangillmor Thanks (in advance)
Show threadMariya DelanoFeb 27
@dangillmor thank you, very needed
Show threadDouglas Edwards Feb 27
@dangillmor We will be looking forward to your list of reliable news sources!
Show thread@pineywoozle ‘s #3WordNoteFeb 28
@dangillmor Thank you. The war on truth is never ending with these fascists. I worry about the vast population who won’t really understand or probably even realized how compromised some trusted media has become. #USPol
Show threadMastodon MigrationFeb 27

@dangillmor

The only solace is now all pretense is lost. Perhaps it is better this way. Still a very sad day for journalism.

Show threadDark Matter ZineFeb 27
@dangillmor You’re optimistic to include the “lite”.
Show threadLauren WeinsteinFeb 27
@dangillmor I will admit that CNN has been in very rapid decline, they're giving air to lots of fascists. I've long since moved over to MS NOW (MSNBC).
Show threadRobert J. BergerFeb 27
@dangillmor What recourse is there to at least throw sand into the gears of the merger? Can State Attorney Generals weigh in on Anti-Trust? Or charge the parties with conspiracy and racketeering?
Show threadRobert J. BergerFeb 27
@dangillmor Or what can be done to make this VERY expensive for Ellison? Infinite litigation?
Show threadDan GillmorFeb 27
@rberger When you're that rich, I suspect, litigation is not even a nuisance.
Show threadNicole ParsonsFeb 27

@dangillmor @rberger

The fossil fuel industry is funding these fascist mergers.

Saudi Arabia. Qatar. UAE. Russia. Koch Network.

Musk bought Twitter with Alwaleed bin Talal's cash.

Oracle is drowning in Saudi cash.

Show threadRoger Ap GwillianFeb 27

Fines as a percentage of gross, not nett, income, and commensurate prison terms would be a very popular move.

The highest speeding fine ever recorded was issued in Switzerland, amounting to approximately $1,091,340 for a driver caught going 170 kilometers per hour (105 mph) over the speed limit, based on a percentage of his income, per km/h over the limit.

Show threadWeird SocksFeb 27
@rberger @dangillmor
If you live in the EU, their approval will be necessary for anything that involves a merger within their jurisdiction.
Show threadmancubeFeb 27

@dangillmor they've been bad since at least the Bush II era and that's just when I started paying attention. I'm not really sure what anyone is losing here

edit: just adding this for the tiniest bit of humor and context

https://www.pastemagazine.com/politics/wolf-blitzer/wolf-blitzer-jeopardy

Never Forget How Insanely Bad Wolf Blitzer Was on Jeopardy!

Paste Magazine is your source for the best music, movies, TV, comedy, videogames, books, comics, craft beer, politics and more. Discover your favorite albums and films.

Paste Magazine
Show threadSeppo HelavaFeb 27

@dangillmor Doesn't seem like Ellison is spending billions to buy up media outlets to make them "Fox Lite". It sounds to me like either they'll be explicitly subversive normal-appearing propaganda outlets, or full-bore flagwaving propaganda outlets. But nothing left will resemble "news" or "journalism".

I mean, his whole end goal is privately owned/run state media where he's the oligarch in charge, right?

Show threadColeen WalterFeb 27
@dangillmor I think donating and supporting public radio stations is one action to consider.
Show threadRobert J. BergerFeb 27
@coleenwalter @dangillmor PBS/NPR seem to be beaten into not saying much for decades. Is David Brooks still there? Now a friendly or hostile takeover of PBS/NPR ideally via some public mechanism with corporate structure to ensure it works for the people and not the owners…..
Show threadNicole ParsonsFeb 27

@dangillmor

America and one-party media monopolies, run by a fascist coup-plotter, Larry Ellison.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/20/warner-bros-discovery-takeover-paramount-skydance-larry-ellison

https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/26/netflix-warner-bros-discovery-paramount-wbd-bid-studios-hbo-cnn-ellison/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/opinion/larry-ellison-paramount-cbs-tiktok.html

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-billionaires-win-battle-to-buy-cnn-and-turn-it-trumpy/

https://thedreydossier.substack.com/p/we-should-all-be-freaking-out-about

Larry Ellison took a lot of cash from Project 2025's fossil fuel fascists
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/20/larry-ellison-oracle-trump-election-challenges/

https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/project-2025-oracle-19654875.php

https://www.propublica.org/article/project-2025-trump-campaign-heritage-foundation-paul-dans

https://www.status.news/p/larry-ellison-2020-election-cbs-news-january-6

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/16/trump-middle-east-openai.html

Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks

Exclusive: Senior officials indicated favorability toward Paramount Skydance acquiring Warner Bros Discovery

The Guardian
Show threadLor 💬Feb 27

@dangillmor

pathetic that no left leaning money bags have bought media outlets to protect them from this shit.

Show threadRobert J. BergerFeb 27
@dangillmor We need some left leaning money fund a group that creates a proper corporate structure that would ensure it stayed true to being a people's media. That could organize the best folks who have been laid off (or want to escape from) the Nazi Media to be the people who run and present on the new medium. Everyone from Stephen Colbert, to the folks from MSNBC, Washington Post and elsewhere…
Show threadScubywFeb 27
@dangillmor https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor/116139707426971545
I use to read CNN regularly, but I may skip that now too. Not much reliable news reading around anymore. Might have to start writing something myself and read to my kids and their friends. Can't be worse than all that fascist rightwing BS.
Show threadSteven ZekowskiFeb 27
@dangillmor
Is it worth canceling #ParamountPlus subscription? Or will that be like spitting in the ocean?
Show threadBenjaminKFeb 27

@dangillmor CNN is terrible but that's beside the point, so is Fox. They don't care if liberals don't watch, or it loses money, this is about silencing and dissent and pumping out propaganda. They just have to brainwash enough people to retain power.

Personally don't see anyone fighting for CNN, so I suspect the only thing that will save this is openAI collapsing and taking Oracle with it.

Show threadRobert Charles LindsayFeb 27
@dangillmor
Hannity on CNN
Unbelievable.
Show threadFinitumFeb 27
@dangillmor the only silver lining is everyone thats owned CNN since Ted Turner has wound up regretting their purchase. So here's hoping the Ellisons keep that run going.
Show threadBenFeb 27
@dangillmor Whenever some bullshit is going on, there's always billionaires involved. I'm starting to think I billion dollars is too much power in the hands of a single person.
Show threadRobert J. BergerFeb 28
@dangillmor @AnatoleSerial More like North Korean TV News