Los Angeles Times to Become Publicly Traded Company
'Whether you right, left, Democrat, Republican, you're an American. So the opportunity for us to provide a paper that is the voices of the people, truly the voices of the people [is important],' Soon-Shiong said. 'So I'm going to announce something with you tonight…that we are going to take LA Times public and allow it to be democratized and allow the public to have ownership of this paper.'
More from Variety
As L.A. Times and Washington Post Kill Presidential Endorsements, Do Editorial Pages Still Matter?
Terry Tang Named Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times
Chuck Philips, Pulitzer-Winning L.A. Times Journalist Renowned for Investigative Reporting on Music Industry, Dies at 71
Soon-Shiong is an L.A.-based surgeon and businessman who invented the cancer drug Abraxane and founded NantWorks, an umbrella company for various healthcare and biotech start-ups. In 2018, he bought both the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune in a deal worth nearly half a billion dollars. He sold the San Diego paper to MediaNews Group in 2023.
Soon-Shiong's leadership at the Los Angeles Times has proved to be controversial among the staff and subscribers. In 2020, he blocked the editorial board from making an endorsement in the Democratic presidential primary (the paper was set to back Elizabeth Warren) but allowed an endorsement of Joe Biden in the general election. Then, in 2024, as the editorial board was set to throw its support behind Kamala Harris in the general election against Donald Trump, Soon-Shiong blocked the endorsement. His decision led to a wave of subscription cancellations and several resignations in protest from esteemed editors and writers. In the past couple of years, Soon-Shiong has expressed a desire to feature more conservative voices at the Los Angeles Times.
More to come….
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Geek Tyrant
a minute ago
- Geek Tyrant
How Dark Gritty Reboots Paved the Way for Today's Lighter Escapism in Cinema — GeekTyrant
For years, Hollywood loved its dark, grounded reboots. But times have changed, and so have audience tastes. A recent video essay by Pyramid Peak takes a deep dive into why the bleak tone of early 2000s blockbusters has shifted toward something lighter, more hopeful, and even escapist, like Superman . After September 11, 2001, American audiences gravitated toward stories that reflected their fears and uncertainties. Movies embraced gritty realism, and no franchise exemplified that better than Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. 'You can imagine just how incredible it was to see this in 2005 for the first time audiences saw a Batman who looked like he belonged in our world and faced dangers that felt almost too real. 'Needless to say Batman Begins was a massive success to critics and general audiences the movie's dark and gritty tone felt like a breath of fresh air.' Following that, other franchises leaned hard into the 'realistic' approach, turning comic book worlds and action sagas into moody character studies. But that was 20 years ago, and as Pyramid Peak explains, that tone no longer resonates the same way: '20 years later the reboot doesn't pack the same punch. So what happened to the dark and gritty era? Right now we're living in a world of constant noise a million channels of conflicting information are all shouting at once. 'That overwhelm might inspire stories where the hero is someone who cuts through the chaos sees the bigger picture and finds a clean focused solution a narrative where all the threats are secretly connected and one brave person untangles them giving us the simple clarity we crave.' This shift is more than just stylistic. It's a reflection of our cultural mood. Back then, villains were symbolic. Today, the issues feel personal and systemic. As Peak notes, future stories might even tackle wealth inequality head-on. 'If another global recession makes wealth inequality the popular issue of the day, the real enemies might be the rich, the powerful the out of touch elite. We could see a resurgence of stories about the common person rising up against unchecked greed and corruption and a generation dealing with the housing crisis and endless inflation would connect with the hero who's dealt a crappy hand but make something of it.' The era of gritty antiheroes might be behind us, replaced by characters who bring clarity in chaos or challenge corruption head-on. In other words, escapism is evolving, and Hollywood will follow wherever our cultural compass points next.
Geek Tyrant
a minute ago
- Geek Tyrant
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Unveils STRANGER THINGS Collab Board Game – Welcome to the Hellfire Club — GeekTyrant
If you've ever wanted to roll dice with the Hellfire Club, now's your chance. Dungeons & Dragons and Stranger Things are teaming up for an official crossover board game that blends the world's most famous TTRPG with the Netflix phenomenon that helped bring it back into the spotlight. Say hello to Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club , an all-new adventure built on the D&D 5e ruleset, launching October 7th. This new collab is perfect for both veteran adventurers and newcomers to the tabletop scene. The game takes inspiration straight from Stranger Things , giving players the chance to dive into four of Eddie's lost adventures. Designed for 3–5 players, with characters at levels 1–3, it's an awesome way to kick off a short campaign or introduce your friends to the magic of D&D — all with a nostalgic Hawkins flavor. Think of it like the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons starter set, but with a pop-culture twist. It captures the spirit of D&D while adding that signature Stranger Things vibe we know and love. The physical edition of Welcome to the Hellfire Club comes packed with everything you need for an immersive tabletop experience. For $49.99, here's what you'll find inside: Dungeon Master's Screen Double-Sided Hellfire Club Poster 91 Cards for Spells, Magic Items, and Monsters 72 Player Character and Monster Tokens 2 Double-Sided Poster Maps 15 Character Sheets 4 In-World Handouts Combat Tracker Notepad 11 Dice Quick Start Guide 4 Adventure Booklets 1 Play Guide Booklet All of it is wrapped in retro 80s aesthetics to capture that classic Stranger Things look. If you prefer to play online, the Digital Adventure Pack has you covered. It includes quickplay maps, a Quick-Start Video, pre-made characters for D&D Beyond, and digital versions of the adventures for the DM to run. The digital-only version costs $19.99, but you'll need a Master Tier subscription on D&D Beyond to host games. For those who want the best of both worlds, the Ultimate Bundle combines physical and digital editions, plus an Upside Down Digital Dice Set and Upside Down Digital Map and Sticker Pack. Normally priced at $69.98, it's currently available for $59.99 if you pre-order. Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club launches on October 7th, just in time for some spooky season adventures in the Upside Down. It uses the updated 2025 revision of D&D 5th edition, so it's also a great way to get a feel for the newest tweaks to the game. Whether you're a seasoned DM or new to rolling dice, this set looks like an epic way to join the Hellfire Club.
Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
WWE SummerSlam 2025 Confirmed Matches And Expected Main Events
Roman Reigns is returning to the ring at SummerSlam. (Credit: Bradlee Rutledge/ WWE via Getty ... More Images) WWE SummerSlam 2025 will take place across two nights for the first time ever this year, and the two-night extravaganza is shaping up to be a show for the ages. Among the key attractions inside MetLife Stadium are a WrestleMania 41 rematch pitting Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship as well as the first televised bout between CM Punk and Gunther. SummerSlam 2025 set a SummerSlam record with nearly 58,000 fans in attendance, and this year, more than 40,000 tickets have been sold for each night. The 2025 edition of WWE SummerSlam will mark Cena's final SummerSlam appearance as part of his official retirement tour. WWE SummerSlam 2025 Match Card for Saturday Last Friday, WWE revealed the match card for each night of SummerSlam 2025. There are currently six matches scheduled for Night One on Saturday, Aug. 2: Country singer Jelly Roll is stepping in as a celebrity replacement for rapper Travis Scott after the latter reportedly had a "falling out" with WWE. The WWE Women's Tag Team Championship is also a surprise addition to WWE SummerSlam as Bliss and Flair were originally set to face each other in singles action before Flair requested that the parternship continue due to the mismatched duo's surprising early success. WWE SummerSlam 2025 Match Card for Sunday WWE's second night of SummerSlam will take place on Sunday, Aug. 3, and there are just five announced matches thus far: Styles vs. Mysterio was originally scheduled for June's Night of Champions but was postponed due to an injury to 'Dirty Dom.' Also noteworthy, if Valkyria fails to beat Lynch in their 'Last Chance' match, she will not be allowed to challenge for the IC title again as Long as 'The Man' is champion. WWE SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Matches According to a report from the Wrestling Observer (h/t Sports Illustrated), 'The WrestleMania 41 rematch between John Cena and Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship is the expected close the show on Sunday. As for Saturday night, the World Heavyweight Championship bout appears to be the front runner for the main spot.' The site adds, 'Gunther vs. CM Punk is the favorite to cap off night one of SummerSlam over either of the two Women's World Title matches or any other marquee contest on the card.' In March, Punk faced Gunther at a non-televised live event in Belfast, but the two stars have never faced each other at a WWE PLE. In addition, Seth Rollins was at one expected to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase in or after that main event match, though it's unclear if Rollins' knee injury has altered those plans. If Rollins does cash in, it could mark the second consecutive WWE pay-per-view that ends with a MITB cash-in after Naomi's epic title win at Evolution. WWE SummerSlam 2025 Additional Matches The lone confirmed match that has not been officially set for either Saturday or Sunday was announced in a red hot show-closing segment on the latest SmackDown: A 6-way TLC match for the WWE Tag Team Championship. The SmackDown tag team division has been one of the brand's overlooked bright spots in 2025, and it certainly has more than enough teams to make some more magic. After previously being left off several major pay-per-views, the WWE tag team titles will finally be on the line at a marquee show. The Wyatt Sicks will defend their gold against the following teams: Andrade and Rey Fenix, The Street Profits, DIY, The Motor City Machine Guns and Fraxiom. Suffice it to say, this division has been left off too many marquee shows thus far, but it won't happen again at SummerSlam. Given that only five matches have been announced for Sunday in comparison to six on Saturday, the TLC match is likely to be added to Sunday's portion of WWE SummerSlam 2025.
