Billionaires Want to Gobble Up All of U.S. Media

The Hollywood Reporter this week published an unusually candid look at what is happening across the U.S. media landscape—and it deserves attention.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly purchased a tech talk show, saying he wanted coverage of the company to be “more constructive.” (Photo: Steve Jurvetson Flickr)

As reported by Raw Story, the Ellison family is pursuing a takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.

At the same time, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly purchased a tech talk show, saying he wanted coverage of the company to be “more constructive.” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told Axios he is interested in launching a media company, arguing that media coverage contributes to poor policymaking.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has encouraged users to move away from traditional media outlets and toward his own platform.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that corporate ownership of media is not new. Gulf and Western once owned Paramount, and General Electric owned NBC. Jeff Bezos acquired The Washington Post for $250 million.

However, comparisons require care. Mark Zuckerberg did not buy The New Republic, though he has invested broadly in media-adjacent platforms.

Analysts suggest the current wave differs less in ownership structure and more in perceived intent, with concerns that some owners may seek influence over editorial direction rather than purely financial returns.