Media Intimidation

Chippin’ Away at the Media

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Article in The Washington Post by Brianna Tucker, 10/31/25

 

Headline:  “N.C. GOP spokesman urges reporter to drop news story, citing Trump ties

Subhead:  “Communications director Matt Mercer later says in a social media post that Trump should ‘feed ProPublica to the USAID wood chipper.’ ”

“A spokesman for the North Carolina Republican Party appeared to threaten the news outlet ProPublica — citing ‘connections’ to the Trump administration — over a story it reported and ultimately published on a prominent conservative state Supreme Court judge. . .:

“The story examined state Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, his starkly conservative transformation of the court and power over the state’s politics. . .”

“. . .the publication said it received a response from North Carolina GOP spokesman Matt Mercer, attempting to coerce ProPublica to kill the story.

“ ‘I’m sure you’re aware of our connections with the Trump Administration and I’m sure they would be interested in this matter,’ Mercer said in an email that ProPublica published. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/31/republican-north-carolina-propublica-trump/

US Cuts Independent Media

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Article in The Nation by Rani Chor, 10/23/25

Headline:  “Independent Media in Cambodia Is Collapsing. Washington Made It Worse.”

Subhead:  “The Thai-Cambodian border conflict is just one of the many stories going underreported in the country as Trump’s funding cuts leave citizens and journalists scrambling.”

“. . .All the while, independent local journalists struggle to tell the stories of those in Run Ta Ek and across the country as funding for their reporting runs dry. . .”

“In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an order to suspend foreign assistance—resulting in a devastating drop in funding for independent media, particularly in fragile or authoritarian contexts where support is most needed. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/independent-media-cambodia-usaid-budget-cuts/#

Newspaper – Just Axing?

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Article in The Nation by Ella Curlin, 10/24/25

Headline: “Why Did Indiana University Axe Its Award-Winning Print Newspaper?”

Subhead: “If the administration can censor the Indiana Daily Student—one of the most acclaimed student publications in the nation—then student journalism everywhere is at risk.”

“On street corners across Bloomington, Indiana, newspaper boxes sit empty. Nearly two weeks ago, on October 14, Indiana University cut the award-winning print version of the Indiana Daily Student—just hours after firing the paper’s adviser—ending 158 years of print journalism two days before the next edition was set to publish. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/indiana-university-student-newspaper-censorship/#

Redlining the Media?

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Article in The Black Wall Street Times by Tiana Manon, 10/20/25

Headline: ” FCC Drew the Map: Media Redlining Still Shapes Who Controls the Airwaves”

Subhead: “ ‘Media Redlining,’ How Today’s Media Inequality is Rooted in Harmful Historic FCC Practices”

“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently made headlines for its approval of the massive and controversial merger between Paramount and CBS deal and for investigating the DEI practices of companies like Comcast. Across the industry more broadly, major firings of Karen Attiah at the Washington Post and the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel caused rumblings among everyday people who worry about the administration’s overreach. And now most recently, President Donald Trump’s lashing out at Al Sharpton for his show on MSNBC, stating perhaps the FCC should “look into” it. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2025/10/20/fcc-drew-the-map-media-redlining-still-shapes-who-controls-the-airwaves/

Journalist Opinion Not Allowed

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Article in The Guardian by Michael Sainato, 10/26/25

Headline:  “ICE detains British journalist after criticism of Israel on US tour”

Subhead:  “Trump ally Laura Loomer took credit for Sami Hamdi’s detainment in move denounced as ‘affront to free speech’ “

“British journalist Sami Hamdi was reportedly detained on Sunday morning by federal immigration authorities at San Francisco international airport, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) says that action is apparent retaliation for the Muslim political commentator’s criticism of Israel while touring the US. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/26/ice-detains-british-muslim-journalist-laura-loomer

When Students Are Censored

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Bill Grueskin, 10/24/25

Headline: “Hoosier Journalistic Paragon? . . .”

” ‘WE ________ JOURNALISTS MUST STAND TOGETHER.’

“That all-caps headline ran on the front page of a newspaper a few days ago. Can you fill in the blank?

“[Waiting…]

“If you guessed ‘WHITE HOUSE,’ just know that we find your naïveté sweetly (but sadly) endearing.

“If you guessed “PENTAGON,” you are getting much warmer.

“And if you guessed ‘STUDENT,’ come collect your winnings (which consist of our admiration for your brilliance)

“This all came about after administrators at Indiana University cracked down on the Indiana Daily Student newspaper. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/laurels-and-darts/hoosier-journalistic-paragon.php

Where’s the Beef?

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Article in Daily Dot by Rachel Kiley, 10/21/25

Headline:  “Trump rebukes ‘young lady’ reporter questioning Argentina bailout as farmers rips his beef deal”

Subhead: “Just found out that the first A in MAGA stands for Argentina.”

“. . .A reporter recently questioned Trump about this backlash, asking, “What do you have to say to U.S. farmers who feel that the deal is benefiting Argentina more than it does them—”

“Look, Argentina’s fighting for its life, young lady,” he said, cutting her off. “You don’t know anything about it. They’re fighting for their life. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailydot.com/viral-politics/trump-backlash-beef-trade-deal-argentina/

Burning Down Local Radio

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Article in Al Jezeera by Andy Hirschfeld, 10/20/25

Headline:   “As US public media funds officially dry up, local radio stations struggle”

Subhead:  “Local stations like the Allegheny Mountain Radio serve as a key resource for locals during crises.”

“For Scott Smith, the cuts to the Corporation For Public Broadcasting are existential.

He is the general manager of Allegheny Mountain Radio, which he runs alongside programme manager Heather Nidly. The funds were slashed as part of United States President Donald Trump’s vast tax cut and spending bill that was signed into law in July. As a result, the station, which has been on air for more than four decades, lost 65 percent of its funding. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/10/20/as-public-media-funds-officially-dry-up-local-radio-stations-struggle

 

Media Moving Day

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Ivan L. Nagy, 10/19/25

Headline:  “The Pentagon Press Corps Is Gone”

Subhead:  “As reporters for major news outlets turn in their government-issued press badges rather than accept new restrictions, some argue that the best military journalism is yet to come.”

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s demand that members of the Pentagon press corps sign on to restrictive reporting guidelines has prompted a mass exodus. Nearly all the journalists who had desks in the Pentagon pressroom have declined to sign, and left the building in a joint protest on Wednesday afternoon. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/news/the-pentagon-press-corps-is-gone.php

His Enemy, The Media

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Article in Reporters Without Borders by Partager, 10/18/25

Headline:  “Elon Musk attacks the media nearly three times per day on X”

Subhead:  “As the third anniversary of Twitter’s takeover by Elon Musk approaches — the social media platform was purchased on 28 October 2022 and renamed X — Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is releasing the findings from its analysis of the tech billionaire’s X. .”

” ‘The New York Times is pure propaganda.’ ‘Legacy media lies.’ ‘You are the media now.’ These are just a few examples of the anti-press rhetoric found in the 1,017 posts from Elon Musk’s X account — which has over 227 million followers — that RSF analysed, which comes to an average of nearly three attacks on the media per day. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://rsf.org/en/elon-musk-attacks-media-nearly-three-times-day-x