Media Intimidation

Media Diversity Not Politically Correct?

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Article in Washington Post by Taylor Tilfordm 3/21/25

Headline:  “FCC chair threatens to block mergers of media companies engaged in DEI”

Subhead:  “The agency is already investigating Comcast and NBCUniversal over their diversity, equity and inclusion policies.”

“The Federal Communications Commission is prepared to block mergers and acquisitions involving companies that continue promoting diversity, equity and inclusion policies, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Friday.

“President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies such as the Justice Department to draw up lists of companies, nonprofits and other organizations to target over ‘illegal DEI efforts,’ which the administration has defined broadly. Now Carr is signaling that persisting with DEI could negatively affect media and communications companies’ dealmaking prospects.

“Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” Carr said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Friday. . .”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/21/fcc-dei-diversity-mergers-acquisitions-ma/

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Article in Free Press by Timothy Karr, 3/21/25

Headline:  “FCC Chairman Carr’s Egregious Attacks on Diversity Reach New Low With Merger Threats”

“FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s racist attacks on U.S. businesses ramped up on Friday, when he announced, according to Bloomberg, that he would block mergers from companies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Carr’s latest tirade follows earlier threats against Comcast and Verizon.

Free Press Co-CEO Craig Aaron said, “There are many good reasons to block a media merger: for example, preserving competition, or preventing higher prices and job cuts. A company’s programs designed to promote diversity, equity and inclusion obviously don’t make that list. Carr’s crusade against so-called DEI programs is a blatant attempt to legitimize discrimination against people of color, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities and LGBTQIA+ people. It’s shameful and wrong.

“Corporate America needs to stand up against Carr’s bigotry and reject his offensive claims that programs designed to address discrimination are themselves discriminatory. . .”

https://www.freepress.net/news/press-releases/fcc-chairman-carr-attacks-dei-mergers

 

Finger on Scale of AP’s Hearing?

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Article in Reporters Without Borders by Staff, 3/19/25

Headline:  “USA: RSF condemns Elon Musk’s continued defamation of the AP ahead of its hearing on White House access”

“Elon Musk, head of the US Department of Government Efficiency, tweeted on March 18 ‘AP stands for Associated Propaganda’ in response to a screenshot of an Associated Press (AP) retraction of one of their stories, just two days before the AP’s hearing over its access to the White House. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly objects to Musk’s inappropriate use of his position of power within the executive branch to influence judicial proceedings, under the pretext of using his personal account.

“Without a hint of irony, Elon Musk condemned the AP for doing what any responsible journalist or news organization should do – publish a correction when they get something wrong. Meanwhile, Musk is one of the Internet’s most prolific purveyors of misinformation and never holds himself accountable. . .”

https://rsf.org/en/usa-rsf-condemns-elon-musk-s-continued-defamation-ap-ahead-its-hearing-white-house-access

White House Reporters Hiding?

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Paul Farhi, 3/19/25

Headline:  “What the White House Press Corps Needs Most: Courage”

Subhead:  “The beat may be the most prestigious in journalism, but in my experience, it’s also the one with the most timid reporters.”

“. . .’Most reporters want to cover the news, not be the news,’ as ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl explained it to me last week. (Karl, like Baker, has seniority and stature, and often does speak for attribution.) ‘They aren’t looking to pick fights with the White House—this White House or any other White House. We just want to do our jobs’. . .”

“Reporters at the White House typically tell me that their reticence stems from their own news organizations, which prohibit them from speaking to the press without authorization. “The sole reason in my case is that I would be punished by my employer if I went on the record” without preclearance, a network correspondent told me last week. . .”

“The general timidity of the press these days may also reflect the White House’s aggressive efforts to push back, even insult, those who go public in some fashion.”

https://www.cjr.org/opinion/white-house-press-corps-pool-rotation-courage-timidity.php

Ready to Lock Up the Media?

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Article in Raw Story by Sarah K. Burris, 3/14/25

Headline:  ” ‘He’s talking about criminalizing it!’ Trump’s DOJ attack on media stuns CNN’s Jake Tapper”

Subhead:  “CNN host Jake Tapper was aghast Friday after listening to President Donald Trump’s speech at the Department of Justice.”

Subhead:  “Tapper called Trump’s lengthy rant a ‘norm-shattering speech,’ noting that it was ‘one of the most political speeches given there by a U.S. president.’ “

In Trump’s new era, Tapper said, ‘he apparently wants to weaponize the Justice Department against the news media and perceived political opponents.’ ”

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-justice-department-2671332356/

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Article in Mediaite by Michael Luciano, 3/14/25

Headline:  “Trump Accuses Media of Doing ‘Totally Illegal’ Reporting”

“President Donald Trump ripped the media on Friday, as is typical, but he went a step further by calling the press’s coverage of the justice system ‘totally illegal.’. . .”

“He then turned his ire toward several news outlets, including the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal, which has been critical of his tariff policy. While doing so, he alleged their coverage has been ‘totally illegal. ‘And The New York Times will write whatever these people say. The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and MSDNC [sic], and fake news CNN, and ABC, CBS, and NBC. . . ‘ ”

” ‘. . . It’s totally illegal what they do. I just hope you can all watch for it, but it’s totally illegal. . . ‘ ”

https://www.mediaite.com/trump/trump-accuses-murdoch-owned-wall-street-journal-and-others-of-doing-totally-illegal-reporting/

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Article in Daily Beast by Josh Fiallo, 3/14/25

Headline:  “Trump Goes to DOJ for Bonkers Rant Berating his ‘Illegal’ Media Enemies”

Subhead:  “The president said he will launch a ‘far-reaching investigation’ into the ‘corruption of our system.’ “

“Donald Trump rambled and raged in an unusual visit to the Department of Justice on Friday, rattling off a laundry list of enemies and vowing to have some investigated. . . .”

“Media outlets took the brunt of Trump’s rage and threats in an hour-long speech. He called out some of the biggest players in journalism by name—ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post—and said they operate illegally at the behest of Democrats.

“ ‘I believe that CNN and MS-DNC, who literally write 97.6 percent bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party,’ he said. ‘And in my opinion, they’re really corrupt and they’re illegal. What they do is illegal.’ ”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-goes-to-doj-for-bonkers-rant-berating-his-illegal-media-enemies/

Awarding Good Journalism

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by John Darnton, 3/14/25

Headline:  “A Little Light amid the Gloom”

Subhead:  “At a time of flagging faith in journalism—and among journalists—the Polk Awards spotlight the vital role the press still plays.”

“. . .The George Polk Awards are deluged with entries for outstanding work across all media platforms, and as curator I go through all of them. This year there were four hundred and ninety-three. . .”

“Now, I know that many newsrooms are gloomy and anxious places these days.

“But not all is dark. I can vouch that the year’s publications and broadcasts, when seen in their entirety, are wide in scope and deep in substance. The rambunctious spirit of street reporting and savvy editing is still very much alive.

“Among our winners this year are a foreign correspondent who risked his life to cover Sudan’s civil war, a health reporter who uncovered hidden commercial factors for the government’s lagging response to the outbreak of bird flu, and a national TV team that exposed the practice of a Texas medical school selling the body parts of unclaimed corpses without bothering to beat the bushes to inform next of kin. . .”

https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/little-light-amid-gloom-george-polk-awards.php

Leaks Are a Problem?

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Article in The Washington Post by Warren P. Strobel, 3/14/25

Headline:  “Gabbard says she is ‘aggressively pursuing’ national security leaks to media”

Subhead:  “The director of national intelligence said “politically motivated leaks” will stop, citing articles in The Washington Post and other news organizations.”

“Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Friday that the Trump administration will aggressively investigate people in U.S. spy agencies who leak information to the public, citing recent stories on national security topics in The Washington Post and other news outlets. . . ”

Gabbard, who coordinates the work of 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, said in a statement that what she termed “politically motivated leaks” undermine national security “and will not be tolerated. . .”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/03/14/gabbard-leaks-investigation-national-security-odni/

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 3/10/25

Headline:  “Opinion | Homeland Security is using lie detector tests to hunt for leaks to the press”

Subhead:  “It may be the first time a federal agency has used polygraphs to question employees specifically about leaks to the media”

“The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, has begun performing polygraph tests on employees to determine if they are leaking information about immigration operations to the media.

“During an interview with ‘Face the Nation’ and moderator Margaret Brennan on Sunday, Noem said plans to use the ‘broad and extensive’ authorities of her role, adding, ‘I plan to use every single one of them to make sure that we’re following the law, that we are following the procedures in place to keep people safe, and that we’re making sure we’re following through on what President Trump has promised — that he’s going to make America safe again.’

“The Associated Press’ Christine Fernando noted, ‘While these polygraph exams are typically not admissible in court proceedings, they are frequently used by federal law enforcement agencies and for national security clearances.’ ”

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2025/kristi-noem-polygraph-dhs-employees-media-leaks/

CNN Coverage of Cuts Not News?

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Article in The Hill by Sara Fortinsky, 3/11/25

Headline:  “GOP’s Burchett berates CNN anchor over spending cuts coverage”

“Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday attacked CNN’s coverage of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) spending cuts and accused the network of trying to rally its viewers against President Trump.

“In an interview on “CNN News Central,” anchor Brianna Keilar asked the Republican lawmaker about nonpartisan estimates suggesting the GOP’s targeted spending cuts would necessitate cuts to entitlement programs, including Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5189313-tim-burchett-cnn-doge-cuts/

 

NPR Keeping Truth Alive

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Article in the Columbia Journalism Review by Bill Grueskin, 3/7/25

Headline:  “Under Attack, NPR Does Its Job”

“Brendan Carr, the newly appointed chair of the FCC, has made no secret of his antipathy for mainstream press—including NPR, which he recently alleged may be violating the law by broadcasting commercial messages.

“It’s an unusually timed claim, but as Carr made clear in a conversation with Semafor’s Ben Smith last week, he’s out for vengeance after four years of a Democratic administration in Washington. That’s why it’s all the more encouraging to see NPR stand tall with its tough-but-fair coverage of the Trump administration.

“One of NPR’s latest and most significant examples: reporter Stephen Fowler dug into many of the most absurd, multimillion-dollar claims made by Elon Musk’s DOGE group. He found error upon error—each of which pointed in the same direction of exaggerated or nonexistent savings for taxpayers. . .”

https://www.cjr.org/laurels-and-darts/laurels-darts-under-attack-npr-does-its-job.php

We’re Watching Your Media!

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Article in The Register by Iain Thomson, 3/6/25

Headline:  “Uncle Sam mulls policing social media of all would-be citizens”

Subhead:  “President ordered immigration officials to ramp up vetting of foreigners ‘to the maximum degree’ “

“. . . On January 20 this year, President Trump signed an executive order calling for much tougher vetting of foreign aliens, and in response, USCIS has this week proposed rules saying all of those already in the country who are going through some process with the agency – such as applying for permanent residency or citizenship – will have their social media scanned for subversion.

“That means if you came to America before foreigners’ internet presence was screened as it now is, and you’re now seeking some kind of immigration benefit, at this rate you’ll be subject to the same scanning as those entering the Land of the Free today.

“What’s changed is they are seeking to extend the review of social media to non-citizens inside the US, not just people arriving in the country, as has previously been the case,” explained Michelle Mittelstadt, director of communications and public affairs for the Migration Policy Institute, told The Register.”

https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/06/uscis_social_media/

Not All Media Give-In

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Article in The Hill by Filip Timotija, 3/6/25

Headline:  “CBS News’ parent company Paramount filed a pair of motions in district court to dismiss President Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit stemming from the “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Harris right before the 2024 presidential election.”

Subhead:  “One of two motions, both filed in U.S. district court for the Northern District of Texas on Thursday, said the president’s lawsuit is an ‘affront to the First Amendment and is without basis in law or fact.’ “

“Paramount’s legal team wrote that Trump is seeking to “punish a news organization for constitutionally protected editorial judgments they do not like.

“ ‘They not only ask for $20 billion in damages but also seek an order directing how a news organization may exercise its editorial judgment in the future,’ they said. ‘The First Amendment stands resolutely against these demands.’ ”

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5181790-cbs-files-motions-to-dismiss-trump-20-billion-lawsuit/

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Article in Status by (liver Darcy, 3/3/25

Headline:  “Shell-Shocked at CBS“

Subhead:  “As Paramount’s merger with Skydance nears the finish line, CBS News chief Wendy McMahon and ’60 Minutes’ boss Bill Owens have faced escalating pressure to settle Donald Trump’s lawsuit—including from incoming president Jeff Shell.”

” Last October, Jeff Shell, the veteran media executive set to serve as president of Paramount Global after its merger with Skydance Media is finalized, convened a meeting with CBS News chief Wendy McMahon, ’60 Minutes‘ boss Bill Owens, and government relations officials. . .”

“At the meeting, Shell requested that McMahon and Owens comply with Trump’s demand and release the transcript, according to people familiar with the matter. Shell’s involvement in the editorial matter immediately set off alarm bells. McMahon and Owens later told associates they were disturbed that Shell was inserting himself into the newsroom’s decision-making, given that Paramount’s merger with Skydance has yet to close and that corporate interference in journalistic matters is traditionally anathema. Even more troubling, Shell seemed to believe CBS News should have simply appeased Trump, despite the dangerous precedent it would set.”

https://www.status.news/p/paramount-cbs-60-minutes-lawsuit-settlement-talks