Paramount Grabs CNN


Article in FAIR by Ari Paul, 9/24/26

Headline:  “CNN Cleared to Join CBS Under Trumpian Paramount Ownership”

“Paramount’s purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, which faced legal action and concern that Paramount boss David Ellison may be consolidating too much media power, is now going forward. A dozen states brought litigation that tied the merger up in court, but they announced a settlement this week. According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://fair.org/home/cnn-cleared-to-join-cbs-under-trumpian-paramount-ownership/

Tonight, WH Defies Judge?

Article in the New York Times by Peter Baker, 9/24/26

Headline:  “In Trump’s White House, China’s Dictator Is Welcome. American Media, Less So.”

Subhead:  “The showdown over President Trump’s partial media ban played out as he welcomed President Xi Jinping, whose government is ranked among the most repressive in the world.”

“At the White House gate, a throng of Chinese journalists was being admitted onto the grounds of the Executive Mansion to cover the visit of President Xi Jinping. Out on the street, several American journalists were blocked from entering the White House on the orders of President Trump. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/us/politics/trump-xi-press-pool-boycott-media.html

Here Comes the Media Judge

Article in Reuters by Jan Wolfe and Jack Queen, 9/23/26

Headline: “Judge skeptical of Trump’s White House media ban at hearing”

“US judge appeared skeptical on Wednesday about the legality of Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, ​MS NOW and Politico journalists from the White House, indicating he may grant their request to lift the ban they describe as unlawful retaliation for news coverage ‌the president dislikes.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly said at a hearing in Washington that Trump’s ban did not appear to comply with past legal precedents by failing to give the news outlets an opportunity to respond. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/news-outlets-will-ask-judge-end-trumps-white-house-ban-hearing-2026-09-23/

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Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr

Headline:  “Judge seems inclined to side with media outlets who were banned from White House in lawsuit”

Subhead:  “Due process was not followed, said judge, when CNN, MS Now and Politico were banned from White House”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/sep/23/white-house-media-ban-lawsuit

Out of the Pool Now.


Article in The Guardian by Lucy Hough with Paul Owen , 9/22/26

Headline: “Donald Trump v the media: US networks unite in boycott – The Latest”

In what is probably one of the biggest battles yet between the press and Donald Trump, major TV networks have united in a boycott of pooled coverage of his administration. It comes after three news organisations – CNN, MS Now and Politico – were denied access to the White House because of Trump’s concerns about their coverage. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s international news editor Paul Owen. . .

Watch he full episode at:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2026/sep/22/trump-v-the-media-us-networks-unite-in-boycott-the-latest

Just Gotta Be On TV!

Article in the New York Times by Peter Baker, 9/22/26

Headline  :  “After Years as the Star of Must-See TV, Trump Faces the Sting of Cancellation”

Subhead:  “A boycott of the White House press pool by the major networks deprives the president of the oxygen of screen time. But he is still finding ways to get on the air.”

“For President Trump, this is the tree-falls-in-the-forest moment of his administration. If the most television-addicted president in history suddenly finds the cameras missing, is he really still president? Not the kind he has been, anyway.

“Mr. Trump, for whom television is better than any narcotic, finds himself for the first time at least partially deprived of the major networks that have covered nearly every movement and utterance he has made for more than a decade. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/us/politics/trump-television-reporters-cameras.html

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Article in Daily Beast by William Vaillancourt, 9/21/26

Headline: “Press-Starved Trump, 80, Announces Desperate TV Move'”

subhead: “Trump TV” launched on Monday, following a rare lack of television coverage of the president.”

“President Donald Trump has launched his own television channel after banning three networks from the White House television press pool.

“The announcement comes three days after the president angrily removed CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the pool because he doesn’t like their coverage. Those outlets have since sued the administration, claiming a violation of their First Amendment rights.

“Trump TV, the White House announced, would begin airing at 7 p.m. on Monday night. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/press-starved-donald-trump-80-announces-desperate-tv-move/

No Press Passes, No Coverage

Article in The Guardian by Ariana Baio in New York and Maanvi Singh, 9/21/26

Headline:  “US TV networks suspend White House pool coverage over Trump media ban”

Subhead: “White House promoted its own ‘Trump TV’ feed online after ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC decline to participate”

“The major US television news outlets agreed to suspend their video coverage of Donald Trump after the administration banned journalists from several outlets from entering the White House grounds.

The collective decision came after the barred outlets – CNN, MS Now and Politico – sued the administration on Monday, saying the president’s actions were a violation of their first amendment rights.

The ban was an extraordinary escalation of Trump’s battle against news outlets. After a coalition of networks including ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC – which along with CNN form a press “pool” that share the responsibilities of capturing and distributing footage of the president carried by news outlets worldwide – announced they would cease coverage in solidarity with the barred outlets . . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/21/trump-tv-networks-white-house-pool-coverage

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Article in UPI by Danielle Haynes, 9/21/26

Headline:  “News outlets decline press duties, sue Trump over White House ban”

“CNN, MS Now and Politico announced Monday they filed a lawsuit and other news organizations declined to participate in White House coverage after President Donald Trump banned the three outlets.

“CNN, MS Now and Politico filed the emergency request seeking to restore their access to the White House in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In a joint statement, they said the government should not be allowed to decide what the press reports. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/09/21/politico-cnn-ms-now-sue-trump/1631790000704/

Paramount and Foreign Ownership

Article in Alternet America by Ryan Rose, 9/19/26

Headline: “First Trump Sold the Land, Then He Sold the News”

Subhead:  “The FCC Is More Worried About The View Than Foreign Governments Owning Paramount“

“Finally, CBS will have owners who hate journalists even more than Bari Weiss does.

“FCC Chairman Brendan Carr approved a petition from Paramount that would allow foreign investors to own at least 49.5 percent of its equity as part of its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Three sovereign wealth funds linked to the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are backing the deal. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.alternetamerica.com/p/trumps-fcc-just-handed-paramount

Ban All Media Except Paramount?

Article in The Wrap by Kim Murphy, 9/19/26

Headline: “Elizabeth Warren Blasts Paramount Merger Settlement Talks: ‘Massive Mistake to Cave’”

Subhead: “The senator cites CNN’s ban from the White House in warning that the merger could create a ‘Trump-controlled media conglomerate'”

“Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) issued a warning Saturday that it would be a ‘massive mistake to cave’ on 12 states’ lawsuit against Paramount Skydance’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Warren’s statement comes amid reports that California Attorney General Rob Bonta is in advanced talks on a potential settlement with the company, which would remove the only remaining regulatory hurdle impending the transaction. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/public-policy-legal/elizabeth-warren-paramount-merger-settlement-massive-mistake/

Mediasphere Erupts Over Purge!


Article in Common Dreams by Stephen Prager, 9/18/26

Headline: “‘Straight Out of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump Bans CNN, MSNOW, and Politico From White House”

Subhead: “One press freedom advocate said it was “difficult to imagine a more blatant violation of the First Amendment.”

“Donald Trump announced in a Friday afternoon tirade that he would ban CNN, MSNOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico from the White House. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-bans-news-networks

Coverage on this issue from some other sources:

Status News:  https://www.status.news/p/trump-press-ban-cnn-ms-now-politico

Axios:  https://www.axios.com/2026/09/18/trump-ban-cnn-ms-now-politico-white-house

AP News:  https://apnews.com/article/trump-cnn-msnow-politico-media-bans-bb675679fb10738a51bef90bde6c525a

Reuters:  https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-bans-media-outlets-cnn-msnow-politico-white-house-2026-09-18/

The Hill:  https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6098639-trump-bans-cnn-msnow-politico-white-house/

Spiteful Media Exit?

Article in The Wrap by Lucas Manfredi, 9/16/26

Headline:  “Paramount Preps California Exit Amid State AGs’ Warner Bros. Merger Battle”

Subhead:  “The David Ellison-led media giant has informed AG Rob Bonta and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ offices of the plans”

“Paramount has informed the offices of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Attorney General Rob Bonta that it is preparing to leave the state amid a legal battle over its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

“A Paramount spokesperson had no comment when asked about the plans, while a spokesperson for Bass told TheWrap she is ‘focused on protecting and fighting for jobs in L.A., including critical jobs in the entertainment industry that have been a vital part of Los Angeles’ economy.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/paramount-david-ellison-california-exit/