The Brief

On Wednesday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone — the creators of the satirical show South Park — announced they had struck a $1.5 billion, five-year streaming rights deal with Paramount Global.

That evening, Parker and Stone's long-delayed season debut on Paramount's Comedy Central channel torched the company for canceling CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert —implying that it was done solely to appease one of Colbert's frequent targets: President Trump. (In the episode, a cartoon Trump is shown naked in bed with Satan. It is not an appealing depiction. Nor was it intended to be.)

Paramount Global has said Colbert's cancellation, effective next June, was done solely for financial reasons. It has nonetheless occurred amid a flurry of steps taken by Paramount and Skydance Media — which has been seeking to acquire the media conglomerate — to appease the Trump administration.

On Thursday, federal regulators announced they had voted to approve the deal valued at $8 billion.

Pledges to root out bias in news coverage, and more

Paramount paid $16 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by Trump as a private individual against CBS and 60 Minutes. Skydance CEO David Ellison promised to eliminate all U.S.-based DEI programs at Paramount and to create a new ombudsman to field complaints of ideological bias in news coverage. Skydance has not denied Trump's assertions the network will run $20 million worth of public service announcements consistent with his ideological beliefs.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr cited Skydance's promises to make "significant changes in the once storied CBS broadcast network."

"Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change," Carr wrote in a statement. "In particular, Skydance has made written commitments to ensure that the new company's programming embodies a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum. Skydance will also adopt measures that can root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media."

On Fox News earlier in the day, Carr took a victory lap over Colbert's cancellation and other concessions by CBS, as well as the stripping of federal funding from public media. "You've exposed the business model of a lot of these outfits as being nothing more than a partisan circus," Carr said on Fox News. "All of this is downstream of President Trump's decision to stand up."

Skydance and Paramount declined to comment.

Last week, Ellison met with Carr to underscore "Skydance's commitment to unbiased journalism and its embrace of diverse viewpoints, principles that will ensure CBS's editorial decision-making reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers," as Ellison's lawyer later wrote in official filings.

David Ellison's father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is bankrolling the deal to buy Paramount, which owns CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central, among other brands. It had been controlled by Shari Redstone, who wanted to cash out the stake in what remains of the vast media holdings of her late father, Sumner Redstone.

She ultimately told associates the company was too small to compete with the larger digital titans Netflix, Amazon and Apple in an age of broadcast and cable decline. There was no plan B, according to people with knowledge at Paramount and CBS who spoke on condition they not be named, as they were not authorized to speak about the sale.

"A chilling effect"

Trump's lawsuit that CBS and Paramount settled under Redstone was — by nearly all accounts from outside legal experts — incredibly flimsy.

Trump's critics say that was never the point.

"It's primarily about exerting dominance and creating a chilling effect for other actors," says Cornell University law professor Michael Dorf, a constitutional scholar. "It's less that he gets the money, but that the defendants have to fork it over."

Media organizations, he says, will "think twice about putting on news that is adverse to the president's perceived self-interest."

Dorf points to suits that Trump, as a private citizen, has undertaken against other media companies and the administration's formal proceedings and suits against universities and law firms. The settlements - such as Columbia University's agreement to pay $221 million when it has billions at stake over the long run - make sense on an individual basis, he says. But they leave others exposed to the same kinds of pressure.

"What unites all of these cases is that either the administration or Trump personally has a very weak case against the person or entity he's suing," Dorf says. "The more assets a target has, the more vulnerable they are."

A bevy of legal settlements

CBS was the pressure point for Trump: Redstone's plan to sell the company required FCC approval due to the transfer of more than two dozen local stations.

Trump's lawsuit alleged that CBS News had committed election interference by slicing up then-Vice President Kamala Harris' answer to a question about the Israel/Hamas conflict two different ways on different shows. Taken together, the two shows offered viewers Harris' complete answer; Trump's legal team argued the network had sought to make her sound more coherent than she really was.

The suit was filed in a Texas jurisdiction with a judge sympathetic to the president. Under Carr, the FCC revived dismissed complaints against CBS and its local stations over the interview that had been filed by a conservative public advocacy group.

The executive director of 60 Minutes and the president of CBS News and Stations both resigned earlier this year, saying they were opposed to a settlement, especially if it contained an apology. CBS did not apologize as part of the settlement.

ABC News' parent company, the Walt Disney Co., had earlier paid $16 million toward Trump's future presidential library and legal fees. Trump had sued over anchor George Stephanopoulos' mischaracterization of a jury's legal findings in a civil case. That resolution included a note of regret.

Social media giants X and Meta paid Trump's foundation $10 million and $25 million to settle suits over their decision to kick him off their platforms after he claimed to have won the 2020 election against Joe Biden. Elon Musk of X has multibillion dollar contracts with the federal government; Mark Zuckerberg's apps are highly regulated by federal agencies. Both have been hoping for a light touch on AI regulation, which Trump has signaled he supports.

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, attacked the agency's decision to approve the sale. In a written statement, she said it marked the continued erosion of journalistic independence.

"After months of cowardly capitulation to this Administration, Paramount finally got what it wanted," Gomez wrote. "Unfortunately, it is the American public who will ultimately pay the price for its actions."

"In an unprecedented move, this once-independent FCC used its vast power to pressure Paramount to broker a private legal settlement and further erode press freedom," she said. "Once again, this agency is undermining legitimate efforts to combat discrimination and expand opportunity by overstepping its authority and intervening in employment matters reserved for other government entities with proper jurisdiction on these issues. Even more alarming, it is now imposing never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, in direct violation of the First Amendment and the law."

Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.