"Ted Cruz's Podcast Payments Spark FEC Complaint"

Senator Ted Cruz hosts the iHeartMedia podcast Verdict without direct compensation, but iHeart has paid over $630,000 to a super PAC supporting his campaign, raising concerns about potential campaign finance violations. The podcast is produced by Cruz's leadership PAC and monetized by iHeart, with ad revenue funneled to the supporting PAC. Meanwhile, podcasting acquisitions include Night acquiring The Roost from Rooster Teeth and Sony purchasing Neon Hum, reflecting a trend of companies seeking infrastructure and client services over original content.