Jessica Reif, Managing Director of Bank of America Merrill Lynch joins Cheddar to discuss the changing media landscape in America, specifically the Disney / Fox 21st Century deal set to close soon.
According to Reif, this deal will reshape the entire media landscape. She talks about the Murdoch family and their willingness to sell. She says the deal will make other companies think about what they want to be, and how they will compete in the modern era.
Disney isn't interested in Fox's news or sports programming, and that may be because of regulatory issues. Reif says when it comes to sports, the best reach is still, by far, broadcast. She expects sports to stay on traditional TV for a long, long time.
Reif also talks about the amount of money the FANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google) are spending on video content, and how they will compete with the traditional outlets.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is set to star in a movie playing MMA and UFC legend, Mark Care, while Kevin Hart will headline a boxing project over on Peacock.
The Food and Drug Administration is asking Congress for new powers, including the ability to mandate drug recalls and require eyedrop makers to undergo inspections before shipping products to the U.S.
The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday for a third straight time, and its officials signaled that they expect to make three quarter-point cuts to their benchmark rate next year.
