1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Christina. I'm just announced that you're deploying body cameras to Minneapolis. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 2: What's your thinking behind this decision and. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Do you want to see this? Well, it wasn't my decision. 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: I would have you know. I leave it to her. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 1: They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: people can't lie about what's happening. 7 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 2: So it's generally speaking, I think eighty percent good for 8 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 2: law enforcement. 9 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: But if he wants to do that, I'm. 10 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: Okay with it. You're listening to the forty seven Morning 11 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 2: Update with Ben ferguson. 12 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: Good Tuesday morning. It's nice to have you with us 13 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: on the forty seven Morning Update. And we've got one 14 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: big story for you, a major hearing in Washington, d C. 15 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: It deals with Netflix and Warner Brothers and the merger, 16 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: and it is a hearing about jobs, national security, and 17 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: standing up to China. We have all the details for you. 18 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: Can you buy real bitcoin in your retirement account? If not, 19 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: it's time to upgrade to bitcoin IRA. You can buy 20 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: and sell bitcoin with major tax advantages. It bitcoin ira 21 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: dot com slash ben to learn more right now. That's 22 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: bitcoin ira dot com slash Ben or call eight six 23 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 1: six six seven nine seven eight seven one. It's eight 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: six six six seven nine seven eight seven to one. 25 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: It's the forty seven Morning Update, and it starts right now. 26 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: Story number one. 27 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: I wrote a book years ago, and after that I 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: stopped writing for a very long time. But this week 29 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: I decided to write an op ed that you can 30 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: read on Foxnews dot Com. I'm also going to post 31 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: a link up on social media so you can follow 32 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: me on x Ben Ferguson Show or on Instagram Ben 33 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: Ferguson Podcast, and you can read the entire article. Now, 34 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: what made me decide to write an article is a 35 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: major issue, one of importance, one that Ronald Reagan understood, 36 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: and that is America needs to have dominance in the 37 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: world when it comes to what we're putting out. Yes, 38 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: I'm talking about movies. You may remember that Donald Trump 39 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: also understood this about the importance of television and exporting 40 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: what America and freedom actually looks like. We also have 41 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: other adversaries around the world that want nothing more than 42 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: to silence American movies and put their propaganda everywhere. The 43 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: biggest person that's looking to do this is China. They're 44 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: coming after our kids to the point where they had 45 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: to sell TikTok to American ownership. They understand the value 46 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: of silencing and censoring different things and people, and that 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: is exactly why this hearing in Washington, DC today is 48 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 1: vitally important and it deals with a merger. Now, I'm 49 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: going to read for you the op ed that I 50 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: have put together and give you a little bit of 51 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: commentary throughout. But I hope that all of you will 52 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: take the op ed and this show and share it 53 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: wherever you can, because this hearing actually deals with national security, 54 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: putting America first and exporting freedom of speech and freedom 55 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: through the arts to the rest of the world. Today 56 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: in Washington, a critical hearing will help decide the future 57 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: of America's entertainment industry and America's influence abroad. The question 58 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: before lawmakers is simple but consequential. Will the United States 59 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: strengthen its own creative companies or weaken them just as 60 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: foreign avisaries use media, culture and capital to shape global narratives. 61 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: At the center of the debate is a proposed merger 62 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: between Netflix and Warner Brothers Discovery. This should not be 63 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: treated as just another corporate deal. That's why I'm talking 64 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: about it right now. By the way on this show. 65 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: It directly affects American jobs, It directly affects American movie making, 66 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: and it directly affects US national security. Let me explain why. 67 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: For more than a century, American films and television have 68 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: carried our values around the world of freedom, creativity, open expression. 69 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: The cultural influences have been one of America's the greatest 70 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: strategic advantages, and today I would say that is under 71 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: real threat. The entertainment industry supports hundreds of thousands of 72 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: good paying American jobs. This includes writers and actors, camera crews, editors, 73 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: visual effects artists, set builders, marketers, and engineers. And then 74 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 1: don't even count all the people behind the scenes to 75 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: get hired for social media and things like that. Now, 76 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: I care about these jobs because I work with these 77 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: people each and every day, and I understand how important 78 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: is to keep those jobs in America. These are also 79 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: middle class jobs. I'll give you a great example today, 80 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to basically help employ a team of fifteen people. 81 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: Why because of me doing what I'm doing right now, 82 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: There are cameramen, makeup artists, they're editors, their producers. All 83 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 1: of these people have jobs right now because of the 84 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: entertainment industry. Why on earth would I want to turn 85 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: that over to a foreign country. Not only is it 86 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: about that, but it's also about building the economies in 87 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: different states. All right, These jobs are spread all over 88 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: the country. I'm doing this right now for you from Texas. 89 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: You've got states like California and Georgia, New Mexico and 90 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: New Jersey that are all growing in this area. We 91 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: know about movies that are made in Georgia, for example. 92 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,239 Speaker 1: There's a lot of people that are listening right now. 93 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: Where you live. There is a thriving industry. And if 94 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: you think this is like theoretical, you're wrong. Netflix recently 95 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: committed one billion dollars to build a new production studio 96 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: at the former Fort Mama Army Base in New Jersey, 97 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: a project that's expected to create you ready for this, 98 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: more than five thousand high paying American jobs. Now, that 99 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: doesn't even count all the jobs that come because of 100 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: what is produced there and all the support for when 101 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: those jobs wrap up and the movies or the content 102 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: is made available to all of us. You understand, there's 103 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: a snowball effect here. That investment turns a former military 104 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: base into an engine of American production. Innovation and employment. 105 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: And it only happens when companies have this scale and 106 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: the stability to invest long term because this is big 107 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 1: money we're talking about here. Streaming, however, is capital intensive 108 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: as well. When companies are weak in or fragmented, that's 109 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: when I get worried. Right, because production is slow, opportunities shrink, 110 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: that's when the layoffs happen. Scale brings stability, Stability protects 111 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: and creates more American jobs. This is a no brainer 112 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: for me. Now, A combined Netflix and Warner Brothers Discovery 113 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: would create not only a stronger but a more resilient 114 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: American company. That's me and my ideals as an American 115 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: first guy, and it would create an American company able 116 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: to invest consistently in one thing that matters the most 117 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: to me, US production instead of foreign production. That means 118 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: more projects made here at home, and more investments like 119 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: the military base that was just bought. That is amazing 120 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: for American job. This is all about protecting what I 121 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: say is so important to us, our secret weapon. Our 122 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: influence around the world through TV, film and content is massive, 123 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: all right. I look at my podcast and it's incredible 124 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: how many people download it in foreign countries. It's unbelievable 125 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,239 Speaker 1: the reach that you can have when you create things here. 126 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: This is the reason why I say it is a 127 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: strategic national asset. Let me explain why more American movies 128 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: and I'm going back to my op ed and television 129 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: reached more people globally than any government program or diplomatic initiative. 130 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: They literally shape how the world views the United States 131 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: of America, and it serves a powerful counterweight to authoritarian 132 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: propaganda and regimes around the world. Now on the other 133 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: side of this is China. We all know how much 134 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: influence China wants to have on our lives. Go back 135 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: to what just happened with TikTok, right, You're terrified of 136 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: what can happen with TikTok because TikTok being owned by 137 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: China and China hating America and trying to have influence, 138 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: can change the algorithms and put out propaganda to undermine America. 139 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: We knew that. That's part of the reason why the 140 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: forced sell to American assets was so vitally important for 141 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: a national security standpoint. Now China understands this. It's why 142 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: they tightly control media at home and they heavily invest 143 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: in state back platforms abroad because they want foreign influence. 144 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: We've already seen how that censorship works. I'll give you 145 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: a great example. Top Gun. Maverick loved the movie. The 146 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: film was a massive global success, bringing billions of dollars 147 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: made in America and guests who refused to show it China. 148 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: China refused to allow it to be shown in its theaters. 149 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: Why because of a small patch on Tom Crui's leather 150 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: flight jacket depicting the flag of Taiwan. No violence, not 151 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: offensive content, not a diet tribe against China. It was 152 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: a patch on a jacket that ninety nine zero point 153 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: nine percent of the audience would never have even noticed. 154 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: That single symbol was enough for Beijing to block the 155 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: film entirely. The message was unmistakable, by the way, unmistakable 156 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: by the way access to China's markets require you bowing 157 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: down to them. Right political compliance and self censorship. Ronald 158 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: Reagan understood the fight long before streaming even existed. He 159 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: knew television and storytelling were powerful tools in the battle 160 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: of ideas, literally going after the in the Cold War. 161 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: He understood that foreign or communist influence over American media 162 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: posed a real threat. That's why he became so famous 163 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: when he was fighting communism in California. As Reagan warned, quote, 164 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 1: freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. 165 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: Protecting American culture and the cultural leadership became a cornerstone 166 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: of his presidency, and that lesson matters more now, I 167 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: argue than ever before. They're also concerns about foreign money 168 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: entering the American media ecosystem and then national security risks 169 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: that come with it. Some company proposals are involving legacy 170 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: studios that would shrink the field from five to four 171 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 1: major studios. And that's a problem, right, concentrating more power 172 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: in fewer hands and driving up costs for families who 173 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: just want to watch a movie at home. That kind 174 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: of consolidation reduces competition, It limits your choice and historically 175 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: leads to layoffs, not innovation. Even more troubling, some of 176 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: these proposal and these takeovers are requiring money to come 177 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: from overseas, reportedly backed by twenty four billion, for example, 178 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: from foreign governments. Did you hear? I said, foreign governments 179 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Now I'm hardly 180 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: a fan of excess regulation, but We have laws on 181 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: the books for reason to protect the American marketplace and 182 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: the American people from foreign manipulation. So let's be clear, 183 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: twenty four billion twenty four billion from the Middle East 184 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: is not philanthropy. Governments do not invest billions in American 185 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: media for fun. They do it to gain leverage, influence, narratives, 186 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: shape what you see and hear. That's why I say 187 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: this is a direct national security concern. So in today's world, 188 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: influence is power, and when American content is weakened, something 189 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: else fills the void, and increasingly that content is shaped 190 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: or approved by authoritarian governments. That's the reason why I 191 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: am saying right now this Netflix Warner Brothers Discovery merger, 192 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 1: it doesn't eliminate competition. It actually strengthens American company and 193 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: allows for us to get foreign backed actors out of 194 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: our studios. That's why I say that this merger is important. 195 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: It's a vote for American workers, American creativity, and American strength. 196 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: And by the way, Ronald Reagan knew culture influence was 197 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: national security and power that, my friends hasn't changed. So 198 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: i'd encourage you call your senator, tell them what you think. 199 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: If you want to back as I do the Netflix 200 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers Discovery merger. 201 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 2: Why thank you for listening to the forty seven Morning 202 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 2: Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe 203 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 2: wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for 204 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson 205 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow