The FCC just approved a lucrative merger between Paramount and Skydance. Weeks earlier, Paramount settled a lawsuit with the president by paying him 16 million dollars. On this week’s On the Media, hear how that money is being funneled to Donald Trump’s future presidential library. Plus, how conservative outlets are coordinating attacks on universities.[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with <a href="https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/communities-connections/faculty/timothy-naftali">Tim Naftali</a>, a Senior Research Scholar at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, about how President Trump has raised millions of dollars from lawsuit settlements with media companies for his future presidential library, and why this matters. [19:23] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/author/katherine-mangan">Katherine Mangan</a>, a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education, about the recent investigations launched into George Mason University by the Trump administration, and the media campaign that followed suit.[32:43] Micah sits down with <a href="https://www.theverge.com/authors/elizabeth-lopatto">Elizabeth Lopatto</a>, senior writer at The Verge, to dissect the ‘violently racist’ background of the hacker who allegedly stole admissions data from five universities, leading to the leak of Zohran Mamdani’s Columbia application to the New York Times. Plus, the consequences of the Times omitting any mention of the hacker from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/nyregion/mamdani-columbia-black-application.html">their coverage of the leak</a>. Further reading:<ul><li>“<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/06/national-archives-george-bush-privatize-history/639429/">The Death of Nonpartisan Presidential History</a>,” by Tim Naftali</li><li>“<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/george-mason-university-antisemitism-investigation-trump">George Mason Is the Latest University Under Fire From Trump. Its President Fears an “Orchestrated” Campaign</a>,” by Katie Mangan</li><li>“<a href="https://www.theverge.com/cyber-security/710480/columbia-hacker-nazi-nyt-affirmative-action">This ‘violently racist’ hacker claims to be the source of The New York Times’ Mamdani scoop</a>,” by Elizabeth Lopatto</li><li>“<a href="https://www.theverge.com/analysis/703232/columbia-hack-admissions-data-mamdani">The Columbia hack is a much bigger deal than Mamdani’s college application</a>,” by Elizabeth Lopatto</li><li>“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/nyregion/mamdani-columbia-black-application.html">Mamdani Identified as Asian and African American on College Application</a>,” by Benjamin Ryan, Nicholas Fandos, and Dana Rubinstein</li><li>“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/nyregion/columbia-university-hacker.html">Columbia Cyberattack Appears Politically Motivated, University Says</a>,” by Sharon Otterman</li><li>“<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-01/columbia-university-applicants-personal-data-stolen-by-hacker?embedded-checkout=true">Columbia University Applicants’ Personal Data Stolen by Hacker</a>,” by Cameron Fozi</li></ul>
On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (<a href="https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm">https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm</a>). Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/onthemedia/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/onthemedia">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OnTheMedia">Facebook</a> @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

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Trump's Presidential Library Grift. Plus, the Hacker Behind the NYT’s Mamdani Story.

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