Plus: What Happened To Billionaires Saving The Washington Post, Legacy Media?

The Olympic flame has made it to Milan, as we begin the final countdown to the games’ Opening Ceremony tomorrow.

While some Olympians have already started competing – namely curling 🥌 and women’s hockey 🏒– the official start is tomorrow at 2pm EST in Milan’s San Siro stadium. 🇮🇹

WHERE CAN I WATCH? American fans can stream tomorrow’s ceremony – and all Winter Olympics coverage – through NBC & Peacock (Peacock link here and NBC Olympics coverage link here). And if you’re busy tomorrow afternoon, NBC will be airing an encore at 8pm EST.

NEW EVENTS: The 2026 games have eight new events, including a new sport: ski mountaineering (aka “skimo”), where competitors have to ascend and descend a rugged mountain. ⛷️

U.S. ATHLETES TO WATCH: We wrote about legendary skier Lindsey Vonn’s comeback earlier this week, but we’re also watching two-time Olympic gold snowboarder Chloe Kim, cross-country skiing GOAT Jessie Diggins, and world championship ice dance duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates vying for their first Olympic medal.

HEATED RIVALRY? NHL players are returning to the Winter Olympics for the first since 2014, with the American team boasting the league’s best goalie, Connor Hellebuyck.

Go for gold, Team USA! 🥇

Mo News Team

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Search For Nancy Guthrie: No Suspects ID’d, Arrest Made Over Imposter Ransom Note

Law enforcement officials have not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the search for Nancy Guthrie, as the investigation continues into day 5.

NBC Anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother has been missing since early Sunday morning, and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he believes she is still “out there.” Nanos emphasized that no one has been ruled out as a suspect yet, either.

Ransom notes: Heith Janke, FBI Phoenix's special agent in charge, said officers arrested someone earlier Thursday for offering a fake ransom demand. That is separate from the ransom letters sent to a local Arizona news outlet and TMZ earlier this week, which authorities continue to investigate and take seriously.

Derrick Callella, the California man arrested over the imposter note, allegedly messaged Nancy’s daughter Annie and son-in-law demanding bitcoin, falsely implying he had Nancy.

It comes a day after Savannah posted a video with her two siblings, Annie and Cameron, pleading for proof of life.

“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,” Guthrie said.

INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION
Janke said the ransom note sent to news outlets made a Bitcoin demand, and listed a deadline for 5 p.m. today — with another one on Monday. It’s unclear if there were any threats linked to those deadlines.

Janke added that one also provided specifics about items Nancy owned or had in her home, including “an Apple watch, and one talked about a floodlight.”
- The ransom note did not establish any communication protocol.
Janke noted that in a typical kidnapping case, communication would have occurred by now, but there has been no contact since the ransom note was sent, nor proof of life. He said it’s ultimately up to the family to decide on any ransom demands.

FBI crisis negotiators are in the area, working alongside local investigators. President Trump said Wednesday that he spoke with Savannah and directed “ALL Federal Law Enforcement” to help with the search.

FBI officials are now offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Nancy or anyone involved in her disappearance.

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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE MONITORING

What Happened To Billionaire Owners Saving Legacy Media?

The Washington Post laid off roughly one-third of its staff (~300 reporters) this week, eliminating its sports section, most of its books coverage, and most of its foreign reporters. The shakeup has raised questions about the state of legacy media — and whether billionaire owners have any chance of saving publications in decline.

THE BILLIONAIRES
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purchased the Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million. Since then, the Post has lost hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years.

Biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong bought the Los Angeles Times and other papers in 2018 for $500 million.
Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff and his wife purchased TIME magazine for $190 million in 2018.
The Boston Globe and its other New England media properties were sold for $70 million in 2013 to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry.
Printing company billionaire Glen Taylor bought the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2014 for $100 million.
The non-profit of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, acquired a majority stake in The Atlantic in 2017.

Some of the owners, and their publications, have fared better than others. However, Bezos and Soon-Shiong made headlines in 2024 after blocking their papers’ editorial boards from endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris — a move that sparked multiple resignations and mass subscription cancellations. Both newspapers are in pretty dire condition.

The question is how serious were the owners about really reviving and growing these brands given the role they play in democracy/society vs merely viewing them as trophies?

At the same time, the New York Times — which has been owned by the Ochs-Sulzberger family since 1896 — reported 2025 fourth-quarter revenue of about $802 million, a roughly 10% year-over-year increase, as the paper’s digital subscription and ad business continued to grow. The Times has been one of the few legacy outlets that has successfully diversified its revenue stream in recent years by diving into areas like games, cooking and acquiring The Athletic for sports coverage.

WHAT COULD JEFF HAVE DONE?
Bezos is facing mounting criticism for what many journalists and media executives describe as absentee ownership.

Former Washington Post reporter and Axios co-founder Jim VandeHei questioned why a “disinterested, disengaged” owner would tolerate ongoing losses instead of selling the paper, arguing that no organization succeeds without hands-on leadership.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) noted that Bezos has been willing to absorb losses elsewhere — including a reported $75 million Amazon deal for Melania Trump’s documentary — while making deep cuts at the Post.

The other side: Meanwhile, some are coming to Bezos’s defense, pointing out how he absorbed huge costs to keep the newspaper afloat in recent years and calling the recent cuts a reasonable business decision, similar to how any owner would approach a company losing massive amounts of money.

INDUSTRY CHANGES
Americans’ trust in mass media fell to a new low in 2025, with just 28% saying they trust newspapers, TV, and radio — down from 40% five years ago.

Filling the gap are social media and digital-first outlets like Axios, Puck, Semafor, Punchbowl News, and Mo News.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Two-thirds of Americans say ICE has ‘gone too far’ in immigration enforcement (NPR)
Trump’s deportation push is scrambling New York’s suburban politics (POLITICO)
Treasury secretary testimony descends into insults & shouting matches (MO NEWS)
Texas A&M professor files lawsuit after firing over gender identity lesson (AP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Ukraine’s president says 55,000 troops killed so far, as negotiators talk peace (NBC)
Argentina requests extradition of Maduro from the US on crimes against humanity charges (AP)
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seize two foreign-crewed oil tankers in Gulf (TIMES OF ISRAEL)
Northern Morocco floods force evacuation of 50,000 people (FRANCE24)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

Novo Nordisk says it will take legal action after Hims & Hers reveals $49 copy of Wegovy pill (CNBC)
Pizza Hut to close around 250 locations nationwide (FOX NEWS)
Spotify is partnering with Bookshop.org to sell physical books (THE VERGE)
Calls to shut down Texas ICE facility for children grow amid measles outbreak (GUARDIAN)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Super Bowl advertisers spending less on star talent as AI use surges (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
Michelle Obama documentary rises 13,000% in views as Melania film opens (GUARDIAN)
U.K. production cost more than $9 Billion in 2025 thanks to films like ‘Wuthering Heights,’ the Beatles movies (VARIETY)
Canadian-born singer Tate McRae sparks fury after backing Team USA in Olympics ad (FOX)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… A Detroit English teacher earned a Guinness World Record after spending an exceptionally long time in the classroom.

Beverly Hannett-Price, 90, broke the record for the longest career for a female language teacher after 67 years working at Detroit Country Day School.

Just imagine how many apples Ms. Hannett-Price must have received over the years… 🍎🤯