Media Politicize

FCC Decides What is “News”?

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 7/8/26

Headline:   “Opinion | ABC reminds the FCC it already ruled ‘The View’ is news”

Subhead:  “ABC argues that if the FCC can decide what qualifies as news, it can also dictate which political candidates programs may interview”

“ABC is stepping up its fight against the Federal Communications Commission.

“In what is shaping up to be an intense battle that could have long-lasting ramifications, Disney’s ABC and the FCC continue to trade blows. It all goes back to ABC’s ‘The View’ and whether it violated what is known as the ‘equal-time rule.’ That’s the rule that says if a TV or radio program talks to someone running for political office, it must offer their opponent the same amount of time. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/abc-the-view-fcc-fight/

Courting Defamation?

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Article in Washington Post by Scott Nover, 7/7/26

Headline:  “Judge rules for The Washington Post in $3.8B defamation suit brought by Trump Media”

Subhead:  “The social media company failed to identify convincing evidence that The Post acted with actual malice, a federal judge in Tampa ruled.”

“. . .U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber, who is based in Tampa, wrote in a summary docket entry — known as a minute order — that Trump Media “failed to present evidence that would allow a jury to find by clear and convincing evidence” that The Post “published the allegedly defamatory statements with actual malice.” Barber granted The Post’s motion for summary judgment and denied one from Trump Media. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/07/07/judge-rules-washington-post-38b-defamation-suit-brought-by-trump-media/

JD Vance OP-Ed Fireworks

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Article in The Atlantic by Peter Wehner, 7/4/26

Headline: “What J. D. Vance Once Knew”

Subhead:  “Ten years ago, the vice president wrote that one day, voters would realize the truth about Donald Trump. That day has now arrived.”

“. . .In the midst of a social crisis, Vance observed, Trump offered ‘an easy escape from the pain. To every complex problem, he promises a simple solution.’ But, he argued, such promises were a cheap high. ‘He never offers details for how these plans will work, because he can’t. Trump’s promises are the needle in America’s collective vein.’

“ ‘Trump is cultural heroin,’ Vance wrote. ‘He makes some feel better for a bit. But he cannot fix what ails them, and one day they’ll realize it’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/07/jd-vance-trump-independence-day/687779/

Rt. Wing Media has Pregnant Pause

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Article in Media Matters by Reed McMaster & Torri Lonergan 7/2/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media target pregnant and female travelers following SCOTUS birthright citizenship ruling”

Subhead:  “Pundits suggested refusing pregnant travelers visas, deporting “birthing-aged” women, and even sterilizing travelers entering the United States”

“After the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, right-wing media proposed draconian policies to prevent travelers potentially giving birth in the United States. The policies demanded by right-wing media — which almost exclusively target female migrants — were often proposed under the guise of combating birth tourism, which the U.S. already has enforcement tools in place to prevent. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/supreme-court/right-wing-media-target-pregnant-and-female-travelers-following-scotus-birthright

O’Reilly Decides Who is a Journalist?

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Article in The Wrap by Jacob Bryant, 7/1/26

Headline: “Tucker Carlson Are Only Anti-Trump Because They’re ‘Personalities,’ Not Journalists.  ‘I’m not in it for clicks,’ he adds”

“. . .While talking with Piers Morgan on ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored,‘ O’Reilly was asked why he thought Kelly, Carlson and even people like Marjorie Taylor Greene had all started attack Trump more often. . .”

“O’Reilly thought that it all came down to one very important thing: Kelly and Tucker were personalities and not real journalists.

“ ‘Well, look, I can’t speak for them as far as their motivation is concerned. I can tell you that they’re not journalists! None of them are,’ he said. ‘They are personalities and very successful personalities. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/bill-o-reilly-slams-megyn-kelly-tucker-carlson-anti-trump/

Buying President – Media Empire Victory?

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Article in The Nation by Jeet Heer, 6/29/26

Headline:  “For Larry Ellison, Buying Trump Is the Bargain of the Century”

Subhead:  “The billionaire has gotten media dominance and cozy government deals for what amounts to chicken feed.”

“For most people, $45 million is a staggering sum of wealth, enough to satisfy all their dreams of avarice and more. But for tech plutocrat Larry Ellison, $45 million is just a drop in the bucket.  . . To put that in perspective, for someone with $200 billion, spending $45 million is the equivalent of a person with a net worth of $200,000 spending $45. In other words, it’s chicken feed rather than real money. And it was all Ellison needed to get in Donald Trump’s good graces. . .

Read the full article at:

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/larry-ellison-trump-corruption/

Killing the News?

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Article in Democracy Now by Amy Goodman, 6/23/26

Headline:  “Remembering Ahmed Wishah, the Latest Palestinian Journalist Killed by Israel in Gaza”

“Israel is continuing to attack Gaza despite the so-called ceasefire. Israeli strikes killed Ahmed Wishah, a cameraman with Al Jazeera, and at least six people, including two children, on Saturday. Wishah’s brother Mohammed, who also worked for Al Jazeera, was killed in an Israeli strike this April. Israel has now killed over 260 journalists in Gaza, including at least 12 working for Al Jazeera, since October 2023. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/23/israel_gaza_journalists

ABC Fighting Back

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Article in Reuters by David Shepardson, 6/22/26

Headline: “ABC launches on-air campaign urging viewers to back network in Trump agency fights”

“. . .Disney-owned . . .ABC said ​on Monday it was launching an on-air campaign encouraging viewers to show support for the ‌network in its two ongoing battles with the U.S. government.

“The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission ordered ABC in April to file early license reviews for its eight company-owned television stations after President Donald Trump pressured the regulatory agency to take action. The FCC is also ​investigating ABC daytime talk show “The View” after declaring it is subject to federal equal time rules for ​political candida”

Read the full article at:

https://www.reuters.com/business/abc-launches-on-air-campaign-urging-views-back-network-trump-fights-2026-06-22/

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Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 6.22.26

Headline:  “ABC encourages viewers to back network amid FCC investigations”

Subhead:  “Network launches ad on The View, which is target of one of two FCC investigations currently seeking public comment”

Read the article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/22/abc-fcc-investigations

Will Foreign Investors Control US Media?

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Article in The Wrap by Lucas Manfredi, 6/19/265

Headline:  “Senators Urge FCC to Prevent Paramount-WB Merger From Closing During Pending Foreign Ownership Review”

Subhead:  “Foreign investors would control 49.5% of the combined company’s equit”

“Three Democratic Senators are urging FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to prevent the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger from closing until its pending foreign ownership review can be completed.

Paramount has maintained that the “indirect foreign ownership of equity interests” in the combined company will be 49.5% and will not result in a transfer of control. However, it has asked the FCC to allow foreign investors “in the aggregate to indirectly hold up to 100 percent of its equity and/or voting interests in light of routine fluctuations in publicly held equity interests and to account for potential future investments.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/deals-ma/paramount-warner-bros-merger-fcc-foreign-ownership-review-letter/

When Media Giants Collide

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Article in Free Press by Staff 6/17/26

Headline:  “The Fight to Stop a Hollywood Mega-Merger Is Far from Over”

“The Justice Department approved the tie-up between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, but states can still sue to block it.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/fight-stop-hollywood-mega-merger-far-over

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Article in Democracy Now! by Staff, 6/15/26

Headline:  “DOJ Approves Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Amid Fears Trump Allies Will Tighten Grip on Media”

“The Trump administration has approved media conglomerate Paramount’s $111 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros., one year after Paramount and Skydance Media signed a similar merger that placed Paramount’s movie studio, streaming service and broadcast network CBS under the control of the multibillionaire Ellison family, founders of Skydance and close allies of Donald Trump. The Warner Bros. merger, if completed, would bring an even larger slice of the industry’s market share into Ellison control. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/15/paramount_warner_bros_merger_david_ellison