CBS and Viacom might be eyeing Vice Media

Rumours of a sale any second now

VANITY FAIR @VanityFair

“They aren’t delusional,” said one company insider. “They know their money [in Vice] is not coming back. It’s better just to get done with this f--king problem”

vntyfr.comIs Vice Looking for an Exit Strategy With CBS-Viacom?The millennial media behemoth is struggling, and Nancy Dubuc has been “cozying up” to Shari Redstone. But CBS-Viacom isn’t biting—yet.

The 25-year journey of what started as a Montreal magazine may culminate in a fire sale to a reconstituted media behemoth, according to a report from Vanity Fair. Vice Media’s valuation declining from $5.7 billion to under $1.5 billion is cited as a factor.

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Mounties may be probing Yaniv

The Vancouver Sun @VancouverSun

Jessica Yaniv, a transgender B.C. activist, says she was arrested for brandishing a Taser vancouversun.com/news/jessica-y…

While the RCMP wouldn’t confirm the existence of an investigation, Jessica Yaniv claims that she was arrested and held overnight after showing off an illegal Taser in a YouTube interview.

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“Has Doug Ford finally put the cronyism scandal behind him?” Robert Benzie reports on a new calm in the premier’s office. There’s talk of Ford giving a “mea culpa” speech. Meanwhile, a senior Ontario PC operative is speculating about a leadership change.

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A pivot to panicked podcasts

CTV’s W5 will no longer be anchored by Kevin Newman, who’s instead joining the trend of pseudo-McLuhanist audio programming about issues related to technology and democracy:

Kevin Newman @KevinNewmanCTV

Not done yet though. Podcasting looks like fun! Part of a ground-breaking new one coming in a month posted on CTVNews.ca, iHeart, Apple, Google, etc. Here’s a sneak peak:

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Kevin O’Leary has a mutual fan in Donald Trump. “Mr. Wonderful” got a presidential endorsement on Twitter for praising the White House’s approach to China. O’Leary is also taken seriously by the libertarians at Reason.

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Finally, ride till I can’t no more

Billy Ray Cyrus signed on to co-host the next Canadian Country Music Association Awards, amidst his star turn on the longest-reigning hit in Billboard Hot 100 history. But he still remembers the diligence of the young reporter who boosted him at the start:

Brian Lilley @brianlilley

Love this photo of my buddy @joe_warmington with the then unknown @billyraycyrus Found it in this great article on Billy Ray enjoying his second shot at a career via Old Town Town Road with @LilNasX Give it a read via @JaneCStevenson torontosun.com/entertainment/…