Meg James

Fox News hosts were determined to help Trump stay in office after 2020 election, Smartmatic says A motion filed in Smartmatic's defamation case says Fox News promoted Trump's 2020 election fraud claims despite knowing they were false.

“Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL,” Fox News host Jesse Watters wrote in a text to Greg Gutfeld. Smartmatic voting systems alleges Fox News hosts went ALL in to help Trump stay in office in 2020. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

'Spineless capitulation.' Paramount faces backlash over its $16-million Trump settlement Journalists and others said the payoff will embolden attacks by Trump and his allies on news outlets. Some called the settlement a stain on the proud legacy of CBS News.

Paramount’s $16-million settlement with President Trump “will be remembered as one of the most shameful capitulations by the press to a president in history,” - @seth-stern.bsky.social director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Paramount's 'South Park' streaming deal is in limbo as Skydance merger drags on Paramount wants to secure the rights to stream 'South Park,' but the deal still hasn't come to fruition as the Skydance deal is still in limbo.

Scoop: Despite telling investors that Paramount+ will have 'South Park' in July, there’s no deal in place and the satirical cartoon's streaming future is in limbo. More on Paramount’s multi-billion dollar South Park problem in @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Lack of coordination over military deployment poses 'significant' challenge as immigration protests continue The deployment of 700 Marines comes despite California officials insistence that federal help is actually escalating tensions between authorities and protesters.

L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell says deployment of Marines poses a “significant” challenge to law enforcement’s efforts to protect city. There's been no formal notification about Marines. Besides, LA has about 9k sworn officers. They've made about 50 arrests. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Prominent lawyers join press freedom fight to thwart Paramount settlement with Trump Prominent attorneys Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen joined the Freedom of the Press Foundation's campaign to thwart efforts by Paramount to reach a settlement with President Trump over his "60 Minutes" law...

From @megjames.bsky.social: Prominent lawyers join press freedom fight to thwart Paramount settlement with Trump www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Prominent lawyers join press freedom fight to thwart Paramount settlement with Trump Prominent attorneys Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen joined the Freedom of the Press Foundation's campaign to thwart efforts by Paramount to reach a settlement with President Trump over his "60 Minutes" law...

“Trading away the credibility of CBS’s news division to curry favor w/the Trump Administration is an improper and reckless act that will irreparably damage the company..," says Abbe Lowell, who is working w/ @normeisen.bsky.social to help @freedom.press' legal case. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Yep- the bogus summer reading list from the Chicago Sun Times is real. Here I am with it from a few minutes ago.

(Support your local library!!)

Disney parks boss Josh D'Amaro touts Mouse House bona fides as succession chatter rages Observers say D'Amaro's stock has risen as a possible successor for Disney CEO Bob Iger, who is expected to retire next year.

Walt Disney execs are getting some time in the sun amid growing interest in the Bob Iger succession story. Today it was the turn of Disney's parks and experiences chief, Josh D'Amaro, who spoke to Wall St.
www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Hollywood's reaction to Trump's movie tariffs idea: Confusion, dread and a little hope A day after President Trump announced a 100% tariff on films shot overseas, Hollywood reacts to the news.

Hollywood's reaction to Trump's movie tariffs: Confusion, dread & a little hope after yrs of job losses in LA. WH aide tells
@latimes.com: "It was President Trump himself who formulated the idea of using tariffs to Make Hollywood Great Again.” W/Sam Masunaga et al. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Among the Pulitzer Prizes awarded today: Ann Telnaes, formerly of The Washington Post, won for illustrated reporting and commentary. She resigned from The Post in January, after The Post refused to publish her cartoon depicting the paper's owner, Jeff Bezos, and other billionaires bowing to Trump.

How Trump’s FCC chairman is stoking the culture war Since taking over as chairman of the communications agency, Carr has revived news bias complaints and launched probes into diversity initiatives at Comcast and Disney. This month, he blasted NBC's cov...

"It’s all part of the pattern of bullying and harassing in order to control & censor,” Dem. Commissioner Anna Gomez told @megjames.bsky.social. “... right now the actions that you’re seeing not only are contrary to the 1st Amendment but they also violate our statutes.”

Elon Musk's conflicts of interest: $2.37 billion in potential federal penalties, report says On the day Trump took office, Elon Musk, Tesla and his other companies faced at least $2.37 billion in potential penalties from federal agencies, according to a Democratic congressional report.

“Mr. Musk has taken a chainsaw to the federal government w/no apparent regard for the law or for the people who depend on programs & agencies he so blithely destroys.” Report calculates that Musk had potential conflicts of interest topping $2 billion. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/business/sto...

David Zaslav's pay rises to $52 million, despite rocky year for Warner Bros. Discovery Big changes are coming to Warner Bros. Discovery's board. Zaslav's mentor — the cable television pioneer John Malone — announced his plans to step down as a voting member.

Last year was a brutal one for Warner Bros. Discovery, but not for its leader David Zaslav who remains one of the most handsomely paid execs in Hollywood -- and Corporate America. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

A😮 read from @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social

4.2 in Dublin (CA) on St. Patrick's Day ☘️

Trump vs. the media: Press access, wild accusations and big-money lawsuits An emboldened president and his allies have launched a vigorous campaign to use levers of government to intimidate an increasingly fragmented and polarized media, experts say.

‘An emboldened president and his allies have launched a vigorous campaign to use levers of government to intimidate an increasingly fragmented and polarized media’

Via @megjames.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Tom Llamas will succeed Lester Holt as anchor of 'NBC Nightly News' Tom Llamas will be the next anchor of "NBC Nightly News" after Lester Holt departs the role this summer.

News! Miami native Tom Llamas will become anchor of 'NBC Nightly News' this year. Tom has been in the bull pen for more than a bit as NBC has been planning for a generational transition from Lester Holt at the flagship newscast.
@latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Commentary: 'Anora's' Oscars triumph is a much-needed win for workers, in Hollywood and beyond Sean Baker got his fairy-tale ending, investing his speeches with meaningful shout-outs on an Oscar night that celebrated unseen laborers as well as glamour.

At this year's fantastic Oscars, we were all Anora clapping back at bosses and billionaires.

www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

FCC and CBS release unedited '60 Minutes' Kamala Harris interview amid Trump lawsuit President Trump filed a $10-billion lawsuit alleging CBS deceptively edited the Kamala Harris interview. CBS took the rare step of publicly releasing the transcripts and raw footage two days after tur...

In a highly unusual move, FCC and CBS release unedited '60 Minutes' Kamala Harris interview amid Trump lawsuit & FCC inquiry into news bias. CBS says the unedited portions show " '60 Minutes' broadcast was not doctored or deceitful." FCC to allow public comment. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

FCC demands CBS News turn over '60 Minutes' interview amid Trump lawsuit The latest development comes as Paramount Global lawyers engaged in preliminary talks to settle the lawsuit Trump filed in October over his objection to edits to the '60 Minutes' interview with Harris...

BREAKING: FCC demands CBS turn over '60 Minutes' raw interview w/former VP Kamala Harris, incl. outtakes. The demand comes as CBS' parent entertains settlement talks to end President Trump lawsuit over the edits. First Amendment experts call it "a sad day."
@latimes www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Meryl Streep 'cut a car-sized hole in the fence,' fled fire through a neighbor's yard, nephew says Meryl Streep’s nephew reveals how the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ star took matters into her own hands as she evacuated from her home during the L.A. County fires.

How Meryl Streep evacuated from the fires. This Feels ... Straight Outta Hollywood. By Alexandra Del Rosario @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Fire breaks out along 405 Freeway in Sepulveda Pass, burning into Bel-Air A new fire broke out Wednesday night along the 405 Freeway in Brentwood.

Rupert Murdoch's 16-acre winery is perilously close to the new wildfire that broke out late Wednesday in Los Angeles' Sepulveda Pass. The 93-year-old mogul's Moraga estate, nestled in the hills of Bel Air, had an earlier brush with wildfires in 2017. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Supreme Court upholds law that could force TikTok to shut down in U.S. Congress and now the Supreme Court say TikTok must separate itself from its Chinese owners or shut down operations in the U.S.

NEWS: U.S. Supreme Court upholds law that calls for TikTok's shutdown in the U.S. In a unanimous opinion, justices said the 2024 law does NOT violate TikTok's 1st Amendment rights, incl. its protection for freedom of speech. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/world-nation...

David Lynch, surrealist filmmaker known for ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Blue Velvet,’ has died. He was a true genius. Lynch was evacuated last week from his home due to the California wildfires. 🔥

Satellite images show how fires exploded across L.A. in just a few hours Satellite images show when the major fires, the Eaton, Palisades and Hurst fires, were first visible from space. See the timeline.

Our timeline of the fires using satellite imagery from the past 24 hours:

A couple SoCal fires updates:

1) The #Eatonfire exploded to roughly 10,600 acres today.

2) @calfire.bsky.social is now the lead agency for the #Palisadesfire, which has grown to an estimated 11,800 acres. Map of the burn zone below and more info on that fire here:
www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/20...

Devastating: #PalisadesFire destroyed historic buildings and multiple structures at two California State Parks, including Will Rogers’ historic ranch house and other buildings at Will Rogers State Historic Park. So many families lost their homes in the many fires burning around Los Angeles today.

2 dead and more than 1,000 homes, businesses, other buildings destroyed in L.A. County fires More than 1,000 homes, businesses and other buildings have burned and at least two people are dead in wildfires burning across L.A. County, making this one of the most destructive firestorms to hit th...

@latimes.com reports the Getty Villa and its treasured art collection survived 🙏, but thousands of other homes & buildings have been destroyed. “Getty had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts," said rep www.latimes.com/california/l...

Pacific Palisades residents face traffic gridlock, uncertainty as fire nears: 'It looks grim' Thousands of Pacific Palisades residents were urged to evacuate Thursday as a fire exploded amid intense winds.

#PalisadesFire residents -- including actor extraordinaire Eugene Levy -- report getting caught in traffic as they flee amid the huge fire that broke out this morning. "Grim," said one resident. @nohaggerty.bsky.social and Noah Goldberg
@latimes www.latimes.com/california/s...

Federal court decision won't change California net neutrality law The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals blasted the FCC's attempts to regulate broadband internet, but state laws in California and New York remain intact.

Despite a federal appeals court striking down the FCC's latest stab at net neutrality rules, California stands out for its own open internet law. And that law remains intact. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...