Story of the Week (DR):Big Media Dictatorship Craziness MMJustice Department Decision to Allow Paramount Deal Surprised Staff Investigators and US approval of Paramount/Warner Bros. deal surprised DOJ lawyers and The UFC’s Despicable Night at the White House Senior Justice Department officials suddenly closed an eight-month antitrust investigation and approved Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, shocking career staff attorneys who were preparing to recommend a lawsuit to block it.DOJ investigators worried the combined company's massive debt would prevent it from honoring its promise to release 30 movies annually. However, senior leadership dismissed the debt concerns, arguing the merger would beneficially create a stronger rival to streaming giants like Netflix.The unexpected approval has drawn intense criticism from lawmakers, notably Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who suggested the green light from the administration was politically motivated and stated the decision "reeks of corruption."The deal also faces regulatory hurdles at the FCC; despite Chairman Brendan Carr's support, the merger requires a special FCC waiver due to significant equity stakes held by sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.While the federal government has stepped aside, the mega-merger still faces strict, ongoing antitrust scrutiny from the European Union and potential lawsuits from several state Attorneys General (including California) who insist the merger is not a done deal.Comcast Class A Shareholders Reject $107M Co-CEO Pay as Stock Slid 20%Brian Roberts 34% of vote42% no on pay with Roberts: 80% no without David Zaslav 2025 Pay Rejected By WBD Shareholders In Non-Binding Vote84% no for his $165MNo major shareholder: On the verge of being acquired by the EllisonsFox Corp to acquire Roku in $22B dealFox increased CEO/Chair Lachlan K. Murdoch's target annual bonus to $9M (up from $6M) and target annual equity award to $20M (up from $11M)If the maximum stays: annual from $12M to $18M and equity from $22M to $40MSo a possible increase of $24M“Mr. Murdoch recused himself from all discussions and votes regarding his employment term extension and compensation adjustments”Lachlan = 36% of voteThe government and AIAnthropic and TrumpTrump Blocks Foreigners From Using Anthropic’s Latest AI TechUnder orders from the US government citing national security concerns, AI company Anthropic suspended foreign nationals (including its own employees) from using its most advanced tech and disabled access to its newest Claude models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5.The directive follows a feud starting in February, when the Trump administration barred federal agencies from using Anthropic products after the company refused to grant the military unrestricted access to its AI for mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons.Anthropic’s IPO pitch has a new problem: the government can shut it downComing just over a week after Anthropic confidentially filed its IPO paperwork, the government-mandated shutdown highlights severe regulatory and geopolitical vulnerabilities that threaten the company's massive valuation and commercial stability.Trump’s Anthropic restrictions may be illegal Bernie and AIBernie Sanders AI sovereign wealth fund bill 2026Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced legislation Thursday that would give the American public a direct 50% ownership stake in the country's largest artificial intelligence companies through a one-time tax on their stockBernie Sanders unveils $7 trillion plan to give Americans control of AI industrySenator Bernie Sanders has introduced a sweeping $7 trillion legislative package aimed at breaking up private tech monopolies and transitioning the development of advanced artificial intelligence into a publicly owned, democratically overseen federal trust.AI dividend: Bernie Sanders pitches $1,000 annual payout from public ownership of AIJim Cramer