Editorial Content

Too Chicken to Answer Questions?

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones 10/12/26

Headline:  “Opinion | Jennifer Griffin has covered 8 defense secretaries. She’s never seen a Pentagon like this.”

Subhead: “On  ‘The Poynter Report Podcast,’ the longtime Fox News correspondent reflects on nearly four decades of reporting, from war zones to Washington”

“. . .Griffin went on to explain why, but also said, ‘There are still very important stories being broken. Every time there’s a story the Pentagon doesn’t want, they call it fake news. That’s just a real cop-out. That’s a cop out for not wanting to answer questions — not wanting to answer questions from Congress, not wanting to answer questions from the press, and I don’t think the American people are buying it anymore’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/fox-news-jennifer-griffin-pentagon-pete-hegseth/

CBS Puts Whole Hand on Scale

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 10/8/26

Headline:  “Opinion | CBS gives JD Vance a prime-time town hall just before the midterms”

Subhead: “The Michigan event gives the vice president a national stage as Republicans make their closing argument to voters”

“In timing that is certainly good for a Republican Party looking for a last-minute rally ahead of the midterm elections, CBS announced Wednesday that it will air a town hall with Vice President JD Vance on Oct. 17 — just two and a half weeks before the pivotal Election Day. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/jd-vance-cbs-town-hall-midterms/

Media in the Lifeboats!

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Article in Mediaite by Alex Griffing, 10/7/26

Headline: “Pete Hegseth Welcomes USS Lincoln Crew Home With a Rant Against the Media: They Tried to Say it Was a ‘Failed Mission!’”

“. . .Hegseth slammed the media for its reporting on the conditions aboard the vessel during his remarks. ‘And there were a few folks in the media who tried to turn the USS Abraham Lincoln into some sort of symbol: a symbol of dysfunction, or a symbol of low morale, or a symbol of a failed mission,’ Hegseth fumed, adding:

“‘And what I look out at right here, and what I talked to your leadership about – and I have had a chance to talk to a number of you – I know it’s the exact opposite, which is actually what the media does so often.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/pete-hegseth-welcomes-uss-lincoln-crew-home-with-a-rant-against-the-media-they-tried-to-say-it-was-a-failed-mission/

Reporters Experience “Show Me State”

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 9/30/26

Headline: “Opinion | Sen. Eric Schmitt confused the Hawks and Hawkeyes and the political press had a field day”

Subhead:  “The Missouri senator accused Jack Smith of perjury over an Atlanta Hawks game. Smith had actually watched Caitlin Clark play … in Maryland.”

“The Republican senator thought he was going to dunk on his opponent. Instead, he ended up flat on his back in a wild moment on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Get ready for a bizarre story that somehow includes basketball star Caitlin Clark.

“And it’s what the Washington media was buzzing about Tuesday. . . ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/eric-schmitt-hawks-hawkeyes-hawks-jack-smith/

No Coverage? Why Would That Be?

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Article in The New Republic by Greg Sargeant, 9/28/26

Headline: “Trump’s Rage Over Failing Press Ban Goes Off Rails in Epic Self-Own”

Subhead:  “As Trump’s fury at news organizations grows after he loses in court, the writer of a piece on Trump’s shrinking stature explains how the media can collectively resist his abuses of power.”

“A few days ago, Donald Trump exploded in an extended tirade at news organizations. Why? Because they had suspended TV pool coverage of him to show solidarity with three news outlets he’d banned from the White House. This resulted in no TV footage of his reception of Xi Jinping at the White House. Trump absurdly raged that news orgs were trying to deny him coverage of a major success. But in saying this, he actually revealed that he badly needs the attention of news outlets. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/215898/trump-rage-failing-press-ban-goes-off-rails-epic-self-own

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Article in Status by Natalie Korvach, 9/27/26

Headline: “The Press Pool Whiplash”

Subhead:  “Just as major networks thought their standoff with the White House was cooling, CNN was blocked from pool duty again, forcing the group into a day-by-day battle over coverage.”

Read the article at:

https://www.status.news/p/trump-cnn-msnow-white-house-press-pool-fight

Whose News is Fake News?

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 9/28/26

Headline: “Opinion | Rachel Maddow on why Trump keeps attacking the media: ‘You play the hits’”

Subhead:  “Maddow kicks off season seven of ‘The Poynter Report Podcast’ to talk Trump, the press, polling and the future of news”

“Donald Trump, in perhaps his most brazen act as president, banned prominent news outlets from covering his administration. That battle rages on.

“In addition, he put out a TV commercial attacking ‘fake news’ — a common phrase he has used over the past decade whenever he is bothered by coverage he doesn’t like. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/poynter-report-podcast-rachel-maddow-msnow/

Don’t Repeat Fake Information? – Get Punished?

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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?

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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

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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?

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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