Don’t Repeat Fake Information? – Get Punished?

Article in Media Matters by Matt Gertz. 9/28/26

Headline:  “Trump’s press grievances are based in their refusal to do propaganda”

“The Justice Department sought last week to justify President Donald Trump’s decision to ban three news outlets from the White House by arguing that their reporters had jeopardized national security. But Trump’s own statements show what he actually wants from the press: servile propaganda that parrots what he and his political allies say about his administration. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump/trumps-press-grievances-are-based-their-refusal-do-propaganda

Report on Opposing Side?


Article in Mediaite by Zachary Leeman, 9/25/26

Headline: “New York Times Hits Back at Critics Slamming Their Reporter for Attending Briefing With Iranian President”

“. . .The backlash got loud enough that New York Times spokesperson Nicole Taylor dropped a statement pushing back:

” ‘Our reporter Farnaz Fassihi is being unfairly criticized for attending a briefing with Iran’s president and foreign minister, a meeting she attended along with editors and reporters from major American and British new outlets. This is what newsgathering looks like; reporting conversations conducted with Iranian government officials is standard, legally protected journalistic work. Never before has a head of government attended the U.N. General Assembly while at war with the United States; our reporting on Tehran’s proposals provides the public with insight into Iran’s negotiating strategy and prospects for peace.’ . . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/media/new-york-times-hits-back-at-critics-slamming-their-reporter-for-attending-briefing-with-iranian-president/

Press Cohesion Against Censorship

Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Susie Banikarim, 9/25/26

Headline: “Solidarity, Finally”

Subhead:  “The press stands up for itself, together. Plus: A surrender to—not a settlement with—Paramount. . .”

“. . .This week, that collective power has finally been on display in a striking and heartening show of solidarity from the White House press corps. After President Trump banned CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House in a fit of pique, the WHCA was quick to issue a statement. ‘The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference,’ Jacqui Heinrich, a Fox News correspondent serving as the group’s president, wrote. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/laurels-and-darts/trump-ban-press-solidarity-whca-white-house-correspondents-association-paramount-attorney-general-lawsuit-killer-story-sexton.php

Treasonous Reporters?

Article in Media Matters by Matt Gertz, 9.23.26

Headline: “President Trump keeps casually accusing news outlets of treason”

Subhead:  “He’s accused journalists of almost or actually committing treason at least 13 times since last year”

“President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post published shortly before midnight on Tuesday, declared reporters at news outlets that produce reporting critical of his administration as ‘treasonous.’

“Trump, in his rambling and confused message, expressed dismay that CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and other unnamed “SLEAZEBAGS” had been present to cover his Tuesday appearance at the United Nations General Assembly after he banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House on Friday. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump/president-trump-keeps-casually-accusing-news-outlets-treason-0

Punish Others for Your Own Leaks?

Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 9/23/26

Headline: “The Source Behind the Ban”

Subhead: “The anonymous source behind one of the stories the White House cited to justify banning POLITICO was none other than Vice President JD Vance, Status has learned.”

“. . .The White House singled out six stories published by POLITICO, including a June 2026 article that cited a ‘senior administration official’ who put the odds of the U.S. striking a deal with Iran to end the war at between 80 and 85 percent. That senior administration official, Status has learned, was none other than Vice President JD Vance. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/white-house-press-ban-jd-vance-source-iran

Authoritarians and the the Media

Article in Mediaite by Sean James, 9/19/26

Headline:  “Rachel Maddow Vents Trump’s Press Ban Proves He Admires ‘Authoritarian Leadership’ of China”

“MS NOW star Rachel Maddow made a special appearance on a special edition of Peter Alexander’s State of Play on Saturday to share her thoughts on President Donald Trump banning her outlet, as well as CNN and Politico, from the White House. Maddow — as many longtime cable news viewers could have guessed — wasn’t a fan.

“The veteran host said Trump’s decision reinforced he admired the ‘authoritarian leadership’ of China and North Korea’s draconian Communist governments — and wished he could crack down on his critics even more, if it weren’t for America’s pesky laws. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/media/rachel-maddow-vents-trumps-press-ban-proves-he-admires-authoritarian-leadership-of-china/

Some Citizens Think Press Control OK?


Article in Poynter by Jon Greenberg, 9/15/26

Headline:  “Americans give their take on press freedom. You should worry”

Subhead:  “A new Pew-Knight study finds broad support for press freedom but also surprising support for giving the government power over the press”

“Fresh off the presses from a Pew Research Center and Knight Foundation collaboration, a new report shows solid support for a free press. Just about three-quarters of the public say a free press is extremely or very important to society.

“But under some circumstances that would make many journalists bristle, large shares of Americans think it’s OK to limit the press. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2026/americans-press-freedom-pew-knight-study/

 

How Do Media Cover “Name Change”


Article in Poynter by Matthew Crowley, 9/14/26

Headline:  “Trump renamed Lake Ontario. Newsrooms still have to decide what to call it”

Subhead:  “The AP is sticking with Lake Ontario, as it did with Gulf of Mexico. Its decision shows why changing a name doesn’t necessarily change common usage.”

“For the Associated Press stylebook, Gulf of Mexico stayed. Lake Ontario will, too.. . .”

“But the AP kept Gulf of Mexico, saying the name had stuck for four centuries and that, as a global news agency, it needed to keep place names and geography easily recognizable to all audiences.

“On Tuesday, the AP again cited longevity when explaining why it will keep Lake Ontario. The new guidance, uploaded to the online stylebook, says, ‘Lake Ontario has carried that name for more than 400 years. Refer to it by its original name. If it is relevant to the story, acknowledge and explain the name Trump has chosen.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2026/trump-lake-ontario-lake-america-ap-style/

Media Cover Up Voter Suppression?


Article in AlterNet by Thom Hartmann, 9/8/26

Headline: “The dark electoral secret the media has hidden for 50 years”

“For over 50 years, our media has been covering up Republican voter suppression efforts. This year, though, they’re getting so obvious that it’ll be interesting to see if they continue to whitewash the practice. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.alternet.org/long-lines-voting/

Rt Wing Media Bomb

Article in Media Matters by John Knefel, 8/28/26

Headline:  “The delusional right-wing media figures declaring victory in Iran”

Subhead:  “The Trump administration’s war of aggression against Iran has failed to achieve its stated objectives. Just don’t tell that to its most die-hard sycophants.”

“Fox News’ Sean Hannity, as reliable a hack for the Trump administration as you can find on cable news, argued on August 19 that the president hadn’t gotten enough “credit” for stopping Iran’s ability to build a nuclear bomb. (Of course, an obvious consequence of bombing a country, assassinating its leadership, and threatening to destroy its entire civilization is that the new government, entirely rationally, is more interested than ever in developing a nuclear deterrent to avoid such attacks being repeated.). . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/index%2Ephp/us-iran-relations/delusional-right-wing-media-figures-declaring-victory-iran