There’s been no shortage of geopolitical stories lately.

Carney. Trump. Trade. Tariffs. Poilievre. Trump again. You get the idea.

With the weekend almost here, let’s save the politics for next week. Those stories aren’t going anywhere.

So I dusted off the list of topics I’ve been meaning to write about, and with Stephen’s help, we zeroed in on the ongoing saga of Paramount taking over Warner Bros. Discovery — which includes control of CNN.

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison wrote a guest essay in the New York Times last week to make the case for why he should take control of CNN.

And that got us thinking. With billionaires like Ellison gaining control of news outlets, does that kill the credibility of the newsroom?

We break down both sides below, followed by our usual poll.

Enjoy the weekend,

-Neil

Journalism is expensive. Struggling outlets need owners with the means to invest in new formats that attract an audience.

Billionaire ownership works when the owner stays out of the newsroom and funds the business. News outlets can hire reporters, build digital subscriptions and find ways to innovate.

An owner with deep pockets is always better than the alternative: layoffs, cutbacks and a newsroom running out of money.

A billionaire can promise they won’t shape the news, but a perk of ownership is the power to change the rules whenever they want.

Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong both faced accusations of meddling after taking over major papers. Now David Ellison could control both CBS News and CNN while maintaining close ties to Trump.

The problem isn’t whether a billionaire interferes on day one. It’s what happens when their interests collide with the journalism.