Lukas I. Alpert
@lalpert1.bsky.social
Managing Editor for The Daily Catch, covering Red Hook and Rhinebeck in the Hudson Valley, NY. Previously: MarketWatch, media and Moscow correspondent for WSJ, tabloid scribe at NY Post. www.TheDailyCatch.org
This is the only photo of me at Ground Zero. It was taken the day the stubborn fires that burned beneath the rubble were finally put out. Since then, tens of thousands have gotten sick as a result. I am one of them. Here’s what I wrote for New York magazine about it. nymag.com/intelligence...
As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and remember all those who were lost, this is something I wrote for New York magazine looking at the tens of thousands of people who have since gotten sick. I am one of them. Here is the story of the ongoing tragedy of that day.
The Other Victims of 9/11
Twenty-five years after the attack, tens of thousands of people have gotten sick. I am one of them.
nymag.com
Is grisly news out of the sleepy hamlet of Rhinecliff, NY
Tivoli Man Charged With Attempted Murder in Severe Beating of His 96-Year-Old Grandmother, Police Say - The Daily Catch
Max Klahr, 22, has been charged with attempted murder for attacking Frances Sandiford in her Rhinecliff home on Friday.
thedailycatch.org
"They blew it." How BuzzFeed spiraled from a $1.7 billion media darling to the brink of bankruptcy.
How BuzzFeed spiraled from a $1.7 billion media darling to the brink of bankruptcy
An early investor in BuzzFeed blamed the former digital-media darling’s decline on its management: “They blew it.”
marketwatch.com
Howard Stern and his 1 million listeners still have value for Sirius with contract extension. The terms of Stern’s deal were not disclosed, and while he commands a far smaller audience than in his heyday, it is still larger than most.
Howard Stern and his 1 million listeners still have value for Sirius with contract extension
The terms of Stern’s deal were not disclosed, and while he commands a far smaller audience than in his heyday, it is still larger than most.
marketwatch.com
Paramount’s hostile $108.4 billion bid for Warner Bros. is backed by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s private-equity group is among the backers of Paramount’s all-cash counteroffer, which is $25 billion higher than Netflix’s accepted bid
Paramount’s hostile $108.4 billion bid for Warner Bros. is backed by Donald Trump’s son-in-law
Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is getting some help from the Trump family.
marketwatch.com
The longest strike in America has gone on for 3 years. Is it about to come to an end? ‘I don’t have that much fight left in me:’ Most of the journalists at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have left, but those still on strike welcome an end to the ordeal.
The longest strike in America has gone on for 3 years. Is it about to end?
“I don’t have that much fight left in me:” Most of the journalists at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have left, but those still on strike welcome an end to the ordeal.
marketwatch.com
Spotify says it’s working to protect artists from AI abuse, but the streaming company’s track record is shaky After years of fighting scams and fraud, the music-streaming company announced it is joining forces with three major music labels to develop AI products that can help artists
Spotify says it’s working to protect artists from AI abuse, but its track record is shaky
After years of fighting scams and fraud, the music-streaming company announced it is joining forces with three major music labels to develop AI products that can help artists.
marketwatch.com
Is there such a thing as too much Taylor Swift? Not for Disney. A docuseries on Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ is set for Disney+ in December, hot on the heels of her new album and film release, suggesting there is no sign yet of Taylor Swift fatigue.
Is there such a thing as too much Taylor Swift? Not for Disney.
There is no sign yet of Taylor Swift fatigue, as a docuseries on Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is set to be released on Disney+ in December, just months after her latest album was released.
marketwatch.com
Trevor Milton proves there’s life after a Trump pardon — he’s now CEO of a private-jet maker. The disgraced founder of Nikola Corp. was pardoned after being sentenced to four years in prison for fraud. Now he’s in charge of SyberJet Aircraft.
Trevor Milton rides his Trump pardon to a new job as CEO of a private-jet maker
The disgraced founder of Nikola Corp. was pardoned after being sentenced to four years in prison for fraud. Now he’s in charge of SyberJet Aircraft.
marketwatch.com
NFL fans can stream all games this season for the first time — and could end up paying less to do so. The shift comes as ESPN and Fox launch their new sports streaming services, which MoffettNathanson says could allow fans to drop linear TV entirely.
NFL fans can stream all games this season for the first time — and could end up paying less to do so
NFL games have long been the bastion of traditional linear TV, but for the first time this season, almost all NFL games can be watched on streaming platforms.
marketwatch.com
Nexstar-Tegna deal puts Trump move to eliminate broadcast ownership rules to the test. FCC head Brendan Carr says he wants to abolish decades-old ownership caps on how many TV stations one company can own — but opponents argue that’s for Congress to decide.
Nexstar-Tegna deal puts Trump move to eliminate broadcast ownership rules to the test
Nextstar is looking to buy Tegna in a $6.2 billion cash deal — but will the FCC allow it despite a conflict with current TV ownership rules?
marketwatch.com
Spike Lee swings from ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ with new film and cancellation of ESPN documentary. The acclaimed director’s new film with Denzel Washington has been critically praised but then ESPN pulled the plug on his documentary on Colin Kaepernick.
Spike Lee swings from ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ with new film and cancellation of ESPN documentary
“Highest 2 Lowest” reunites Spike Lee with Denzel Washington, but the director’s Colin Kaepernick documentary has been canceled due to creative differences.
marketwatch.com
Netflix may have won the streaming wars, but there are only so many viewers to be had. So what's next for Netflix? In this video we explore how the company is moving toward new revenue streams and fanning the flames of fandom, including plans for a new theme-park-like experience called Netflix House
Netflix won streaming. What does it do now? - MarketWatch
Netflix may have won the streaming wars, but there are only so many viewers to be had. So what's next for Netflix? In this video we explore how the company is moving toward new revenue streams and fan...
marketwatch.com
Good news for media companies is proving to be bad news for their stocks Media stocks have been selling off over the past couple of weeks despite solid earnings reports and major deal announcements, as investors appear to be taking profits
Good news for media companies is proving to be bad news for their stocks
Warner Bros. Discovery reported strong results Thursday, but the stock extended its recent weakness. The same thing happened to Walt Disney’s stock the day before.
marketwatch.com
Is all publicity good publicity for American Eagle? Its stock price seems to say so. As it weathers the fallout from its controversial jeans ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, American Eagle saw its biggest gain in 25 years, with a boost from President Trump.
Is all publicity good publicity for American Eagle? Its stock price seems to say so.
As it weathers the fallout from its controversial jeans ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, American Eagle saw its biggest gain in 25 years, with a boost from President Trump.
marketwatch.com
How Hulk Hogan helped transform wrestling from a sideshow to the main event. When Hogan burst onto the wrestling scene, it was a collection of fly-by-night regional promotions. By the time he was done, it had become a multibillion-dollar global business.
How Hulk Hogan helped transform pro wrestling from a sideshow to the main event
When Hogan burst onto the pro wrestling scene, it was a collection of fly-by-night regional promotions. By the time he was done, it had become a multibillion-dollar global business.
marketwatch.com
Will ‘F1’ help Apple finally win one in the movie and streaming race? After years of middling success on the big screen, Apple has bet big on the racecar movie starring Brad Pitt with a budget of nearly $250 million.
Will ‘F1’ help Apple finally win one in the movie and streaming race?
After years of middling success on the big screen, Apple has bet big on the racecar movie starring Brad Pitt with a budget of nearly $250 million.
marketwatch.com
Few people are willing to pay for news online, which makes things tougher for the news industry. A new survey finds that only 17% of people are willing to pay to read news online, with most either looking elsewhere for the news for free or just not reading it at all.
Here’s how many people leave a news article when asked to pay
Many major news outlets have had difficulty creating meaningful businesses through online subscriptions.
marketwatch.com
Warner Bros. Discovery bonds see big selloff as ratings are cut to junk. Should stock investors be worried? Confusion over how the media giant plans to restructure its debt following a spinoff of cable channels like CNN and TNT have rattled the market for its bonds.
Warner Bros. bonds fall after downgrades to junk. Should stock investors worry?
Confusion over how the media giant plans to restructure its debt following a spinoff of cable channels like CNN and TNT have rattled the market for its bonds.
marketwatch.com
Could Paramount’s sale collapse under pressure from Trump? Analysts are starting to think so. Paramount’s sale to Skydance Media has stalled amid regulatory paralysis — and Lightshed Partners predicts that if a resolution isn’t reached by October, the deal will be called off
It’s possible Paramount sale could collapse under pressure from Trump: analysts
Paramount’s sale to Skydance Media has stalled amid regulatory paralysis — and Lightshed Partners predicts that if a resolution isn’t reached by October, the deal will be called off.
marketwatch.com
Can media company spinoffs of brands like CNN and CNBC be good for investors? Here’s what history tells us. Recent corporate media spinoffs have been a mixed bag, with many failing due to the way they were set up, Wall Street analysts say
Can media company spinoffs of brands like CNN and CNBC be good for investors?
Recent corporate media spinoffs have been a mixed bag, with many failing due to the way they were set up, Wall Street analysts say.
marketwatch.com
Taylor Swift has bought back her own music — making her catalog among the most valuable of all time Swift’s catalog purchase likely puts the value of her music on par with that of megastars like Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen
Taylor Swift buys back her music catalog — now among the all-time most valuable
Taylor Swift finally came out the winner after years of fighting over the rights to her early catalog of music.
marketwatch.com
Things are feeling a bit more like "The Devil Wears Goodwill" in the magazine world these days
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ sequel is coming — but the glory days of magazines like Vogue are over
Ad spending on magazines has shrunk by nearly half since the first film came out in 2006, and the doorstop September issue is a thing of the past.
marketwatch.com
In a sign of the pressures being brought by a cable-television market in fast decline, two of America’s biggest providers, Charter Communications Inc. and Cox Communications, have announced plans to merge, hoping that greater size will prove to be the key to survival.
Will a Charter-Cox merger prove that bigger is better in a fast-declining cable marketplace?
The deal will create what the companies describe as “an industry leader in mobile and broadband communications services, seamless video entertainment, and high-quality customer service.”
marketwatch.com
Will ESPN’s new streaming service spell the end for cable television? Sports programming had been one of the few offerings that kept customers from fully cutting the cord, but ESPN’s new streaming service could accelerate the exodus.
Will ESPN’s new streaming service spell the end for cable television?
Sports programming had been one of the few offerings that kept customers from fully cutting the cord, but ESPN’s new streaming service could accelerate the exodus.
marketwatch.com
Can President Trump really put tariffs on films produced abroad? The law says no. A law passed by Congress in 1988 explicitly bars the president from being able to regulate the import and export of films, books and music — something TikTok recently brought up.
Can President Trump place tariffs on films produced abroad? The law says no.
A law passed by Congress in 1988 explicitly bars the president from being able to regulate the import and export of films, books and music — something TikTok recently brought up.
marketwatch.com
The future of streaming television is starting to look an awful lot like cable TV. Streaming’s à la carte choices have begun delivering less growth potential — and the best way forward may be to bundle programming like cable does.
The future of streaming television is starting to look an awful lot like cable TV
Streaming’s à la carte choices are starting to deliver less growth potential — and the best way forward may be to bundle programming like cable does, a TD Cowen analyst said.
marketwatch.com
The long-running lament among TV viewers is that you get 500 channels but there is never anything to watch. But what was once a bit of hyperbole is now mostly true — there is almost nothing new to watch on TV.
The era of zombie television: Why is there never anything to watch on cable?
More than 60 million U.S. homes still have cable, but they largely get reality shows, old movies and 21-hour-long blocs of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
marketwatch.com
