POLITICAL | URBAN | ENTERTAINMENT | GOSPEL | HISTORY & CULTURE

THE MERGER AT A GLANCE: The merger forms an entertainment conglomerate. The combined company, Skydance, brings together two major film studios, two global streaming services, premier television assets including CBS, HBO, and Paramount's and WBD's cable networks, two of the industry's most recognized news networks, CBS News and CNN, and a leading content portfolio that includes live sports, a deep programming library and expansive collection of iconic brands and franchises. Together, Paramount and WBD will deliver enhanced output commitments, including a minimum of 30 high-quality theatrical films per year and 180+ television shows and series.   Skydance aims to build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology. We are creative-first, audience focused, tech-forward, globally scaled. Storytelling anchors the combined company's growth strategy – expanding opportunities for the world's leading creative talent and widen...

Brent Faiyaz, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown & Bryson Tiller, Daniel Caesar, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, Olivia Dean, Tems, and Tyla Up for R&B/Soul Song of the Year, Voted Exclusively on BET.com New Spotify R&B X International Artist Category Features Tems, FLO, Odeal, Cleo Sol, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Tiana Major9, and kwn, With Voting Exclusively on  Spotify  Plus, Fans Rank The 20 Greatest R&B Songs of the 2020s, Counted Down During the Soul Train Awards Red Carpet Show: “Back on Track” NEW YORK – BET has announced the Soul Train Awards 2026 nominees, kicking off fan voting for the reimagined show. For the first time, fans will have a say in who takes home the trophies , with two new fan-voted categories: R&B/Soul Song of the Year , with voting on BET.com and Spotify’s RNB X International Artist , with voting in the Spotify app .   Voting is open now through Oct. 16, and fans can see who takes home the trophies Friday, Nov. ...

Pete Hegseth traveled to San Diego this week to personally welcome home the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln , which returned to Naval Air Station North Island after more than 300 consecutive days at sea — one of the longest modern U.S. carrier deployments and one marked by severe strain on sailors. Hegseth departed Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 , arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that night before flying out to the carrier the next morning as it approached its homeport in Coronado, California. The Nimitz‑class aircraft carrier, carrying roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines , had spent the year operating in the Pacific and South China Sea before shifting to Middle East missions during an extended deployment. During Wednesday’s visit, Hegseth: Spoke with the crew aboard the ship Participated in physical training (PT) Ate lunch with service members His arrival was intended to boost morale as the ship completed a grueling mission that had drawn national attention...

  WASHINGTON (AP) — In a sharp escalation of the Trump administration’s ongoing clashes with the press, the Pentagon has banned a major military news outlet from coverage and abruptly fired the editor‑in‑chief of Stars and Stripes , the congressionally funded newspaper that has served service members since the Civil War. Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, dismissed Stars and Stripes editor‑in‑chief on Friday, according to multiple defense officials familiar with the decision. The firing came hours after the publication was barred from attending briefings and accessing routine military information, a move press‑freedom advocates say is unprecedented in modern Pentagon history. The Pentagon has not publicly detailed the reason for the ban, but officials inside the department say senior leaders were angered by recent reporting that scrutinized military spending, internal morale issues, and political influence on defense policy. The decision effectively cuts off one of the few i...

Andre DeShields, Brandon J. Dirden, Jasmine Cephas Jones, and Cheryl Wills Headline the 5 th Annual Luncheon   (New York, NY) -- The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) returns to New York City for the fifth edition of AAFCA Goes to Broadway Luncheon, celebrating the artists, creatives and cultural leaders across the theater landscape. The event is set for Monday, October 12, 2026 at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in the heart of New York’s Theater District.   The annual ceremony has earned a strong reputation for creating an elegant afternoon that has honored a distinguished list of Broadway luminaries like James Monroe Inglehart, LaTanya Jackson Richardson, Wendell Pierce and Kara Young; producers Debra Martin Chase and Kenny Leon and writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, among others.   “AAFCA Goes to Broadway has created an important space where the artistry, history, and cultural impact of theater are celebrated with the attention they deserve,” said Ca...

Two  years after Bishop T.D. Jakes’ overcame a near death experience, his global impact of over 50 years in ministry was celebrated by distinguished guest from various sectors and parts of the wold. Held at The Potter’s House in Dallas with The Sound of 50 a special service honoring his faith journey, creative legacy . The program consisted of archived sermons, speeches and performances as Jakes and his family looked on from the front row. The Sound of 50   traced Jakes’ career from his first sermon in West Virginia at age 19 to his current role as a global faith leader, author, entrepreneur, and cultural influencer. Stories from older siblings and longtime friends recalled his early calling, perseverance after failure, and love for Scripture as well as practicing piano. The program highlighted Jakes’ ministry’s expansion to countries including Australia, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Israel, Nigeria, and the U.K., and its presence in books, film, and music. Leadersh...