Where ya gotta love the odd flexes given by Zuck these days at META.
Earlier this week, Zuck was noting on the Q1 earnings call how he wouldn’t give many AI products out there to his mother to use (🤷♂️) — and now, in audio obtained by The Information in a company-wide META meeting, he complimented the intelligence of META employees . . . by sharing how META AI’s monitoring all of their work only makes META AI a better product because they’re so smart to begin with.
Essentially, thanks to you nerds — I’ll be able to put you out of a job even faster here! What efficiency! Or, the 2026 compliment equivalent of this 👇. Enjoy the May layoffs, everyone.
Via Giphy
BTW: Elon admitted on the stand in the OPENAI trial that his xAI is “partly” using OPENAI’s bots/product to train and improve his own — a tactic called “distilling.”
YES: A process that’s about as rich 🤌 as it gets these days — AI companies upset at other companies using their work/products to improve their own products without paying for the use, ahem.
ALSO:FCC henchman honcho Brendan Carr noted that COMCAST/NBC could be next for a local TV affiliate station license review . . . that’ll very likely ultimately go nowhere. No word on where his investigation into FOX’s owned stations stands.
He also said that this had nothing to do with Kimmel’sMelania/Trump comments last week, and managed not to wink even once! 😉
Kimmel once again faced this head-on last night, with a pretty great montage of Trump #cancelculture speech clips, yet again revealing what a sad, sad charade Carr’s quest is.
THE PEOPLE’S COURT: Here are your latest developments in the 2 biggest pending deals facing the media industry:
A 24% share of theatrical was specifically cited as a result of uniting WB and PAR studios.
PSKY called the deal “without merit” (link to the complaint here).
NEXSTEGNA: Yes, I’m workshopping a Bennifer name for this NEXSTAR/TEGNA DEAL, so it’s either that or TEGSTAR, which is catchier . . . although NEXSTAR is the bigger company. But I digress:
A CA judge has already issued a preliminary injunction against TEGSTAR that would create incredible consolidation in the local TV station and local news business.
The initial loan was for $340M in 2021. There is currently $359M owed on the loan. I actually had no idea you could buy a production lot on layaway, but the things you learn in this job.
PLUS: AMAZON PV set a deal with DUKE to exclusively stream 3 neutral-site men’s 🏀 games a year in a “multi-year” deal (length not disclosed), with next season being:
Wed., Nov. 25: DUKE vs. UCONN in Vegas
Mon., Dec. 21: DUKE vs. MICHIGAN at MSG
Sat., Feb 20: DUKE vs. GONZAGA in Detroit
KUDOS: To Steph Curry, who raised $1.7M from auctioning off the 70 pairs of sneakers he wore in NBA games this season. I hear the money is somehow going toward stock buybacks. 🤔 (ok, yes, it’s going to his Eat. Learn. Play. foundation).
YEAH: Nothing like getting a ringing endorsement from your dad about your new potential job — this was Trump on FOX NEWS yesterday about Don Jr. possibly hosting a new version of The Apprentice at AMAZON PV: “He’d be probably good. He’s got a little charisma going.”Ah, thanks, pop! 🤗
2025 Exec Payday Season Continues
I finally found this gif! 🙌 Via Giphy
Next up on the big board . . . AMC NETWORKS GLOBAL (although it was called NETWORKS when the work was done in 2025).
CEO Kristin Dolan: $12.5M, up from $8.7M in 2024
Bumps in stock grants and bonus. No PJ’s 🛩️ here.
CCO Dan McDermott: $5M, up a bit from $4.2M
Prez Kim Kelleher: $3.9M, down from $4.05M
AMC GLOBAL stock was essentially flat in 2025.
Over at ROKU:
CEO Anthony Wood: $26.6M (down $1.1M YoY)
No PJ 🛩️ use listed here either, and most of it is a combo of stock grants and stock options.
Media Prez Charlie Collier: $13.9M (up $3.3M YoY)
General Counsel Chris Handman: $11M (no ’24 comp)
COO/CFO Dan Jedda: $9.9M (about 3x what he made in ’24)
Devices/Tech Prez Mustafa Ozgen: $7.4M (roughly even)
