Economic News

No Low-Income Media Help?

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Article in Free Press by Staff, 5/5/26

Headline:  “Free Press Opposes Carr’s Cruel and Baseless Attacks on the FCC’s Lifeline Program”

“. . .On Monday,  Free Press filed comments in the Federal Communications Commission proceeding on supposed ‘reform and modernization’ of the agency’s Lifeline program.

“Since the beginning of the year, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has sought to undermine the bipartisan federal-assistance program, which was created during the Reagan administration to help make communications services more affordable for qualifying low-income consumers. Carr has repeatedly attacked the program and proposed changes that would potentially intimidate eligible people from applying for Lifeline benefits. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/free-press-opposes-carrs-cruel-and-baseless-attacks-fccs-lifeline-program

Press Confidence Low

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Article in Poynter by Angela Fu, 5/1/26

Headline:  “Opinion | U.S. falls to its lowest ever World Press Freedom Index ranking”

Subhead:  “The declines in press freedom in the U.S. are part of a broader global trend, Reporters Without Borders found.”

“Last weekend, the White House Correspondents Association dinner — already a topic of awkward conversations because of various ethical concerns — was scrapped because a gunman tried to enter the event.

“Then on Monday, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania both called for ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired because they didn’t like a joke he told. And now the Federal Communications Commission, seemingly spurred on by the Trumps’ social media complaints, is reviewing ABC’s licenses.

“Thursday produced even more depressing news about press freedoms in the U.S. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/us-lowest-press-freedome-ranking-ever/

Grabbing Radio

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Article in the New York Times by Lauren Hirsch and Benjamin Mullin

Headline:  “SiriusXM Said to Be in Early Talks to Acquire iHeartMedia”

Subhead:  “A deal, which was described by two people familiar with the discussions, would unite two major providers of traditional and satellite radio.”

“SiriusXM is in early-stage discussions to acquire iHeartMedia, a deal that would create an audio giant with a foothold in traditional and satellite radio and podcasts, two people familiar with the discussions said Friday.

“Should a deal come to fruition, it would be the culmination of years of speculation about a tie-up. Liberty SiriusXM Group, once an affiliate of John Malone’s media empire, formerly held significant stakes in both companies. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/business/media/siriusxm-iheart-radio.html

A Fragmenting Medium

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Riddhi Setty 4/22/26

Headline:  “The Post Tries to Regroup”

Subhead:  “After announcing major cuts, the paper is delaying layoffs and attempting to hire back former staffers.”

“When the Washington Post announced mass layoffs, in February, the company offered severance packages to the roughly three hundred and fifty staff members losing their jobs. To receive their severance, these employees would have to sign their packages by April 10; they would then begin receiving the payments after April 30. But after the terms were set, something strange happened. Editors who were overseeing the laid-off employees began contacting several of them, asking them to return—not as full-time staff, but to work under what their union called a ‘delayed layoff.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/washington-post-tries-regroup-after-major-cuts-layoffs-delayed-rehire-former-staff.php

Nunes’ Cow Returning to Barn?

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Article in AP by Bernard Condon, 3/21/26

Headline:  “Trump media company replaces CEO, ex-congressman Nunes after stock plunge that wiped out billions”

“NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump business behind Truth Social is replacing a former congressman and big supporter of the U.S. president as leader of the social media platform after a stock collapse that wiped out billions in investor wealth.

Devin Nunes, a former California congressmen in Donald Trump’s first term, is being replaced temporarily by digital media executive Kevin McGurn as chief executive officer. The company, Trump Media & Technology, didn’t give a reason for Nunes leaving or provide a timeline for his permanent replacement. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-truth-social-nunes-ceo-don-jr-f528dc294683c7f132c063b4a21dd68e

Mega Media Money Melting?

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Headline:  “Trump Library Saga Takes Dark Turn: Where Did Millions in Funding Go?”

Subhead:  “Four huge media conglomerates forked over $63 million in ‘settlements’ earmarked for Trump’s presidential library. Democrats are trying to track that money—and the latest developments don’t inspire confidence.”

“Last year, four huge companies pledged tens of millions of dollars to help fund the creation of Donald Trump’s presidential library, a planned monstrosity in Miami that—in a perfect Trumpian twist—may also double as a hotel. The companies—ABC; Paramount; Meta; and X, formerly Twitter—entered into the agreements with Trump to settle legal cases he’d brought against them which experts had dismissed as dubious.

“After the companies agreed to these shakedowns—sorry, settlements—the fund created to receive donations was dissolved last September. Since then, Senate Democrats have been asking: What happened to the money?. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/209254/trump-library-funding-millions-media-companies

If it Bleeds – it Doesn’t Lead Anymore

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Article in AlterNet by Matthew Rozsa, 4/6/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media empire hemorrhaging subscribers as Trump’s coalition crumbles”

“President Donald Trump’s media ecosystem for a long time depended on major online brands like The Daily Wire and Blaze Media, but as one of their fellow conservative publications pointed out, Trump’s coalition is dissolving — and with it, the base of support upon which many of these media outlets once stood firm.

“Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire is in trouble on YouTube, losing significant numbers of subscribers—with Shapiro himself down a whopping 80,000 in the first quarter of the year, according to a new survey of political channels by researcher Kyle Tharp,” wrote The Bulwark’s Will Sommer on Monday. It’s more proof that dissident and increasingly anti-Trump voices like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson have the energy in right-wing media. Shapiro, by contrast, is stuck defending an unpopular war with Iran.’ ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.alternet.org/right-wing-media-fail/

 

Short-Term Reporting?

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Article in Media Matters by Ilana Berger, 4/3/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media’s narrative that high gas prices are ‘short-term’ and ‘temporary’ is undermined by reporting from major energy conference”

Subhead:  “CNBC anchor Morgan Brennan: ‘The growing chorus on Wall Street, including JP Morgan, Blackrock, Citadel, those are all warning that the war and ongoing oil shocks are being underpriced’ “

“While many right-wing media personalities continue to parrot claims from the Trump administration that high gas prices are a short-term consequence of the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran, a few are starting to question that narrative.

“During S&P Global’s CERAWeek, a Houston-based energy industry conference held this year from March 23-27, attendees and other experts expressed concern over the long-term consequences of President Donald Trump’s war constraining energy supply in the Strait of Hormuz, making clear to reporters that the situation is likely worse than the market is showing. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/us-iran-relations/right-wing-medias-narrative-high-gas-prices-are-short-term-and-temporary

Rt. Wing Media – Bread or War?

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Article in Media Matters by John Knefel, 3/27/26

Headline:  “Divisions emerge in right-wing media as Iran war stirs anxiety about food production, fertilizer”

Subhead:  “Some conservative pundits are calling for escalation, while others criticize the war for surging fertilizer costs”

“The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran — which has been largely but not entirely supported by major right-wing media outlets — is threatening to upend not just international oil markets but also world food production, with fertilizer costs soaring just as farmers in the global north enter the spring planting season.

Some figures in right-wing media have taken notice, alarmed that a spike in domestic food prices could be disastrous for President Donald Trump and Republicans in the fall midterms. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/us-iran-relations/divisions-emerge-right-wing-media-iran-war-stirs-anxiety-about-food-production

Rt. Wing Media Losing Stock?

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Article in Media Matters, 3/26/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media accused Trump of ‘obvious’ stock market manipulation”

Subhead:  “Right-wing media also suspect someone close to Trump of insider trading, asserting “clearly there’s somebody that had some information”

“Right-wing media figures accused President Donald Trump of manipulating the market after stocks surged following his March 23 social media post claiming that the war in Iran was winding down. Additionally, oil and gas futures purchases spiked just before Trump’s announcement about a seemingly nonexistent ‘resolution’ with Iran, leading some in right-wing media to suggest that people close to the president, or even within Trump’s administration, were guilty of insider trading. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/us-iran-relations/right-wing-media-accused-trump-obvious-stock-market-manipulation