Selected Stories

What About Bob? Behind the Leadership Drama Holding Up Viacom-CBS Deal, Wall Street Journal, April 24, 2018
Merger talks turn on whether Viacom CEO Bob Bakish will get a role in the combined company

Sumner Redstone Wouldn’t Have Last Word on a CBS-Viacom Merger, Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2018
The mogul communicates with an iPad loaded with snippets of his voice saying "yes," "no" and "f--- you"

Tech Luminary Peter Thiel Parts Ways With Silicon Valley, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 15, 2018
Billionaire investor frustrated with what he sees as intolerance of conservatism in tech industry

Vice Just Had a Big Revenue Miss, and Investors Are Getting Antsy, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 7, 2018
Setback is largely due to the struggling Viceland cable-TV channel

Emails Illuminate Redstones’ Family Tensions and War for Viacom, Wall Street Journal,  Dec. 6, 2017
‘This is nothing more than a calculated move...to oust me from the company,’ Shari Redstone wrote

A+E Networks Chief Tests Limits in Bid to Revive Channels’ Fortunes, Wall Street Journal, Jan. 21, 2017
Nancy Dubuc tries to conjure new hits as firm behind ‘Duck Dynasty’ feels pinch from shifting TV habits

Meet the Mercers: A Quiet Tycoon and His Daughter Become Power Brokers in Trump’s Washington, Wall Street Journal, Jan. 8, 2017
Armed with data on an alienated electorate, a hedge-fund magnate and his family shun the GOP establishment to support the winning campaign

Next Generation of Redstones Takes On Bigger Roles in National Amusements, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 15, 2016
Inside the battle between Viacom and the Redstones, and how it led to a deal; Shari Redstone’s son, Tyler, secretly met with then-Viacom CEO Dauman to work out an agreement

Disney and Vice, a Storybook Romance, Wall Street Journal, Aug. 23, 2016
The family-friendly entertainment conglomerate, worried about reaching young men in an era of cable-cutting, is betting big on the profane gonzo journalism of ex-punk rocker Shane Smith

Battle Ensues Over Control of Sumner Redstone’s Trust, Wall Street Journal, May 21, 2016
Viacom CEO Dauman, board member Abrams told they had been removed, but executives question legitimacy of the order

The Relationship That Helped Redstone Build Viacom Now Adds to Its Problems, Wall Street Journal, April 11, 2016
After 30 years at Sumner Redstone’s side, CEO Philippe Dauman is accused of trying to cover up mogul’s health woes; Paramount sale plans get a yes, then no

New Chapter in Redstone Media Empire Saga, Wall Street Journal, Dec. 20, 2015
Sumner's daughter solidifies position in media empire that controls Viacom and CBS

Battle Brews Atop Viacom, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 7, 2015
Concern about health of Chairman Sumner Redstone sparks questions over who will succeed him

Vice Media Rides Lofty Expectations, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 2, 2015
Company known for edgy reporting is poised to get its own TV channel in deal with A+E

Behind Time Warner Chief’s ‘Cord-Cutter’ Pitch, Wall Street Journal, April 12, 2015
CEO Jeff Bewkes wants to sell HBO online, but must win over pay-TV providers

Sinclair Draws Scrutiny Over Growth Tactic, Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2013
TV Station King Uses “Sidecars” to Skirt Ownership Limits

Yahoo, Katie Couric Tweak the Recipe, Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2015
It isn’t about home-page traffic, they say, playing up the staying power of interviews thanks to social media

Rebuilding Playboy: Less Smut, More Money, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 20, 2013
Publishing is now a sideline for Hefner’s brainchild: A new CEO takes a thriftier approach

BuzzFeed: The Advertorial’s Best Friend, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 7, 2012
Site is building a business around helping advertisers craft messages that people will share with their friends.

Times-Picayune Is Singing the Blues to Angry Readers, Wall Street Journal, Sept. 9, 2012
New publisher tries to convince outraged New Orleans residents it had no choice but to stop printing daily

Henry Blodget’s Second Act, Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2012
Five years in, Business Insider has become a test case for the future of independent business journalism online

For AOL, A Costly Gamble on Local News Draws Trouble, Wall Street Journal, May 23, 2012
Patch.com at the center of a tug-of-war over the internet company's future

Newt Gingrich's favorite verb: Imagine, Politico, December 23, 2011
He calls himself a historian, but has been busier writing historical fiction, alt histories and futurism than accounts of what actually happened.

The Dem who's Murdoch's shield, Politico, July 20, 2011
In times of crisis, closeness counts, and few have been closer to the Murdochs since the phone hacking scandal broke than Joel Klein.

Bloomberg's BGov seeks to tap into the info 'gold rush', Politico, March 3, 2011
Bloomberg launches a 'translation service' between business and government.

Cities of Rust: Dispatch from Dearborn, The Review, a weekly supplement to The National, April 22, 2010
A once-proud hub of the auto industry, the unofficial capital of Arab America, and ground zero for the United States' economic meltdown.