Wall Street Journal Gets Wet

Article in Status by Brett LoGiurato, 8/28/26

Headline:  “The WSJ Crosses the A.I. Rubicon”

Subhead: “The Journal’s opinion editor defended the use of A.I. in a recent column, but some newsroom staffers, and the publication’s union, are raising concerns about the precedent, Status has learned.

“Inside The Wall Street Journal’s newsroom this week, reporters’ group chats have been buzzing a bit more than usual. . .”

“On Monday, billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller stunned much of Wall Street by offering a pointed critique of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the hallowed pages of The Journal’s opinion section—only to later admit that he had used a large-language model to help draft the piece. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/wsj-ai-op-ed-stanley-druckenmiller

NYT Spinning the Wheel?

Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 8/25/26

Headline:  “The Times’ Kalshi Gamble”

Subhead: “News that The Athletic is in talks with Kalshi on a potential partnership has prompted unease inside the broader New York Times Co. over the reputational risks of getting into bed with the controversial company, staffers tell Status.”

“. . .One of those partners, I am told, is Kalshi, the controversial prediction markets company, where users can bet on topics ranging from elections to finance to culture—and yes, sports. According to Front Office Sports, which first broke the news, The Athletic and Kalshi are in “advanced talks” to strike up an agreement, . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/the-athletic-kalshi-new-york-times-sports-betting

Some Military News – Gone?

Article in UPI by Don Jacobson, 8/21/26

Headline:  “Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief, publisher, reporter”

Subhead: “Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military newspaper founded in 1861, lost its editor-in-chief, publisher and Middle East reporter to firings Friday for what the Pentagon described as insubordination. File Photo by Sgt. Brendan Mackie/U.S. Army National Guard”

“The Pentagon has fired the publisher, editor-in-chief and Middle East reporter of the venerable military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the publication reported Friday.

“Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer Jr. and civilian reporter Lara Korte, who covers the Middle East, have all received termination notices, a Pentagon source confirmed to the newspaper. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/08/21/Pentagon-fires-Stars-Stripes-editor-in-chief-publisher-reporter/1571787353309/

His Master’s Voice


Article in Media Matters by Matt Gertz, 8/19/26

Headline:  “Fox & Friends, echoing GOP memo, runs cover against ‘far-left’ data center opposition”

“Republican leaders who fear that the furious, bipartisan backlash against AI data centers could cost their party in the midterm election are getting help from their loyal propagandists at Fox News. On its flagship morning show, the network’s hosts and contributors are attempting to convince viewers to support data centers by telling them that the ‘far left’ is behind the opposition. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/index%2Ephp/artificial-intelligence-and-data-centers/fox-friends-echoing-gop-memo-runs-cover-against-far-left

Media Collusion?

Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 8/19/26

Headline:  “Revealed: FCC chair Brendan Carr’s close coordination with White House and rightwing media”

Subhead:  “Internal documents obtained by Guardian show White House meetings, scheduled calls with top Trump officials and communications with Fox News producers”

“. . .Between 12 March 2025 and 11 February 2026, Carr attended at least eight meetings at the White House, according to the records, and had at least three scheduled calls with administration officials, including two conversations with the chief of staff, Susie Wiles. . .”

“In addition, the files provide insight into Carr’s media strategy, including communications with producers at Fox News, and make public previously undisclosed meetings he has held with media titans such as the Fox Corp chief executive, Lachlan Murdoch, and Sinclair Broadcast Group chair, David Smith. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/ng-interactive/2026/aug/19/brendan-carr-fcc-white-house-exclusive

Legacy Media Put Head in Sand?


Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Willis, 8/15/26

Headline:  “Why the media ignores the growing Republican schism”

“Republicans are having a bad time ahead of this year’s midterm elections, where the momentum has consistently been with the Democrats. . .”

“Republicans are the ones having the real midterm problem, both internally and in contrast to the Democratic Party. Why? Trump. . .”

“Republican disarray is the new “Democratic disarray,” and someone should tell the mainstream media.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/8/15/800084437/series/why-the-media-ignores-the-growing-republican-schism/

Media Distort New Movements?


Article in FAIR by Raina Lipsitz

Headline:  “Corporate Media Portray DSA’s Grassroots Organizing as a Sinister Conspiracy”

“. . .The ‘takeover’ language is telling: The corporate press sees any assertion of agency on the part of everyday people as a threat to establishment interests. The Free Press (7/21/26) sounded the alarm in an article headlined ‘What the Movement Taking Over the Democratic Party Wants.’ And Fox News (7/27/26) went further with a story headlined ‘[US Rep. Steve] Scalise Warns ‘Bolshevik Revolution’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://fair.org/home/corporate-media-portray-dsas-grassroots-organizing-as-a-sinister-conspiracy/

Rt. Media Snake Oil

Article in Media Matters by Helena Hind, 8/14/26

Headline: “MAHA and right-wing media revive debunked claim about the COVID vaccine and miscarriages to attack Dr. Fauci”

Subhead:  “Media figures spread a false claim that the COVID-19 vaccine caused an 82% miscarriage rate, calling the vaccine an ‘abortion shot’ and saying, ‘Fauci belongs in prison’”

“A press release from two Republican senators containing texts from Dr. Anthony Fauci has revived a bogus claim — based on a flawed interpretation of a 2021 study — that the COVID-19 vaccine caused an 82% miscarriage rate among pregnant people who took it before 20 weeks of gestation. Right-wing media figures, MAHA organizations, and online wellness influencers have latched onto the debunked claim. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/maha-and-right-wing-media-revive-debunked-claim-about-covid-vaccine-and

Can’t Pay to Play in Media Now

Headline: ” Top Forbes editor reportedly fired after receiving $6m from business associate”

Subhead: “Randall Lane left his job last month after accepting money from founder of firm that does business with magazine”

“The top editor of Forbes left his job last month and was reportedly dismissed for accepting $6m from the founder of a firm that does business with the magazine.

“The New York Times reported this week that Randall Lane was paid by RJ Shook, whose company, Shook Research, worked with Forbes since 2016 to publish rankings of wealth advisers. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/aug/13/forbes-editor-fired

Pay Money Get Info?


Article in Al Jazeera by Staff and AP, 8/12/26

Headline:  “Media groups sue Trump over paid access to public social media posts”

Subhead:  “Lawsuit claims Trump profits unfairly by charging up to $100,000 monthly for exclusive access to presidential posts.”

“The publication The Intercept and the nonprofit Freedom of the Press Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump to block his social media service from selling advance access to his posts.

“Court filings on Wednesday argue that the subscription-based service would restrict access to matters of public interest. . .”

“Critics have pointed out that Trump uses his Truth Social account to announce policy changes that could have effects on the economy. Trump’s comments, for instance, about the US-Israel war on Iran have sent ripples through global oil markets.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/8/12/media-groups-sue-trump-over-paid-access-to-public-social-media-posts