Media Turmoil

Not Even a Half of a Scaramucci!

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Article in The New York Times by Shawn McCreeshTyler Pager and Hamed Aleaziz, 11/16/26

Headline:  “Katie Zacharia Is Out After 5 Days as White House Press Secretary”

Subhead: “The ouster came as Ms. Zacharia was shadowed by questions about how she had presented her legal career and handled her first press briefing.”

“President Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, was fired Friday, after less than a week on the job, according to three people familiar with the matter.

“Neither the White House nor Ms. Zacharia responded to requests for comment. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/us/politics/katie-zacharia-fired-press-secretary.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Spanish-Language Media Shift

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Media Matters illustration

Article in Media Matters by Monica Rodriguez, Janos Balazs & Torri Lonergan, 10/15/26

Headline:  “Discontent in Spanish-language conservative media illustrates GOP’s deteriorating Hispanic coalition”

“Since early in his second term, President Donald Trump has been facing criticism from Spanish-language right-wing media figures over his approach to the economy, the Iran war, and mass deportation. This fall — as some of these figures have warned that Republicans will suffer in the midterm elections as a result of the administration ‘failing’ on immigration and economic policy — polls suggest that Latino voters could be a major swing demographic in November. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/spanish-language-media/discontent-spanish-language-conservative-media-illustrates-gops

Press Secretary – No Press?

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Article in The Guardian by Shrai Popat, 10/15/26

Headline:  “Trump’s new press secretary says it’s ‘unknown’ how much she’ll deal with media”

Subhead:  “Katie Zacharia tells Guardian her first, widely panned, press briefing followed whirlwind sprint to appoint her to key role”

“Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary says it is ‘unknown’ how much she will engage with the press or hold briefings with reporters, as she faces mounting questions over her legal credentials.. . .”

“Now the White House press secretary, she also would not clarify on Thursday how often she intended to brief the press. . . ‘and that Trump “is his best spokesperson, and I will interact as needed’.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/15/katie-zacharia-trump-press-secretary-interview

Press Sec. – On Sale for a Limited Time!

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Article in AP by Bill Colvin, 10/14/26

Headline:  “Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia faces scrutiny over claims she’s a lawyer”

“Katie Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer as she has worked to establish herself as a commentator for conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax. But so far, she and the White House have offered no evidence that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China. . .’

Read the full article at:

https://apnews.com/article/katie-zacharia-lawyer-bar-trump-press-secretary-b3b7b9747856bcd11df094f331195119

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Article in The Hill by Judy Kurtz, 10/13/26

Headline:  “Scaramucci quips about new press secretary Zacharia’s tenure: ‘The clock is running’ “

“. . .’Thus far 1/11th of a Scaramucci,’ he cracked.

“Scaramucci famously served a speedy stint — just 11 days — as White House communications director in 2017 during President Trump’s first term in office. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/6145486-white-house-press-secretary-katie-zacharia-scaramucci/

In the Fire With a CBS’ Dear Leader

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Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 10/13/26

Headline: “CBS’ Foreign Explosion”

Subhead: “Bari Weiss’ handpicked foreign editor unleashed an explosive tirade at CBS News staffers, threatened insubordinate journalists with firing, and clashed with correspondent Holly Williams, according to audio obtained by Status.”

“. . [Shayndi] Raice told the assembled journalists that she wanted to address the report, before launching into an uninterrupted 15-minute tirade in which she fiercely defended her editorial decisions, insisted they did not constitute ‘interference,’ and warned that ‘insubordination’ would not be tolerated, declaring it ‘legal grounds for firing.’. .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/bari-weiss-holly-williams-cbs-news-israel-coverage

A New Perfect Spokesperson

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Article in The Guardian by Arwa Mahdawi, 10/13/26

Headline:  “Loves Trump, lies and conspiracies: Katie Zacharia is the perfect presidential press secretary”

Subhead:  “The Maga member believes the 2020 election was stolen and seemingly her new boss is saving the world from a cabal of satanic paedophiles. She’ll fit right in then”

“While you’ve obviously got to worship the president to get a top comms role with him, there are a few other job requirements. Not least a willingness to embrace what former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway called ‘alternative facts’. . .”

“. . .If Zacharia lasts even a year in her new role, meanwhile, I’ll be surprised. With a (very likely) disastrous midterm election approaching, she has her work cut out and will need all the alternative facts she can find. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/13/trump-lies-conspiracies-katie-zacharia-press-secretary

Journalism, War, and Lies

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Article in The Nation by Marwan Bishara, 10/112/26

Headline:  “Writing About War as Bombs Fall”

Subhead:  “While the Israeli government launched a well-orchestrated offensive of disinformation and hyperbole that would make the illegal permissible in the war on Gaza.

“When the Gaza war started three years ago, I took to the keyboard. In those dark times, writing was my only sanctuary amid the mayhem. I had written extensively about war in my career as a scholar and a journalist, but nothing prepared me for this war. The words that came to mind felt jaded, even inadequate for what was unfolding in front of our eyes. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/gaza-war-three-years-global-opinion-israel/

Media Groups Fight Consolidation

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Article in Free Press by Staff, 12/9/26

Headline:  “Unions and Nonprofits Representing Journalists, Writers and Communications Professionals Petition FCC to Stay Order That Would Allow Massive Media Consolidation”

Subhead:  “Groups call “unlawful” Carr’s move to eliminate a vital limit that prevented massive broadcast conglomerates from acquiring even more local outlets”

“WASHINGTON — A coalition of unions and nonprofit organizations representing journalists, writers and other communications professionals have urged the Federal Communications Commission to stay a recent order repealing its long-standing and congressionally required National Television Multiple Ownership Rule. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/coalition-petitions-fcc-stay-order-allowing-massive-media-consolidation

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Article in Common Dreams by Jake Johnson, 10/10/26

Headline:  “Coalition Files Emergency Motion to Stop Trump FCC From Unleashing Media Consolidation Spree”

Subhead: “The FCC simply cannot ignore the laws Congress makes just because the current agency head wants to.”

“A coalition of nonprofit groups and labor unions filed an emergency petition on Friday aimed at blocking the Federal Communications Commission’s recent repeal of a decades-old rule that limited consolidation among television broadcasters, a move that would allow media conglomerates to seize even more control over local news stations. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-fcc-tv-consolidation-2678069354

“60 Minutes” Still Rolls Downhill?

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Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 10/12/26

Headline:  “Bari’s Stahl Showdown”

Subhead:  “Two recent clashes over Israel coverage have roiled Bari Weiss’ CBS News, Status has learned, with one confrontation even pushing legendary ’60 Minutes’ correspondent Lesley Stahl to the brink of quitting.”

“On Sunday night, ’60 Minutes’ aired a riveting piece examining the violence that extremist Israeli settlers have unleashed against Palestinians in the West Bank. . .”

“. . .Behind the scenes, Status has learned that the screenings for Stahl’s piece grew extraordinarily contentious, with the legendary correspondent becoming so frustrated that she privately discussed the possibility of quitting the show.. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/bari-weiss-lesley-stahl-60-minutes-israel-gaza

Too Chicken to Answer Questions?

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones 10/12/26

Headline:  “Opinion | Jennifer Griffin has covered 8 defense secretaries. She’s never seen a Pentagon like this.”

Subhead: “On  ‘The Poynter Report Podcast,’ the longtime Fox News correspondent reflects on nearly four decades of reporting, from war zones to Washington”

“. . .Griffin went on to explain why, but also said, ‘There are still very important stories being broken. Every time there’s a story the Pentagon doesn’t want, they call it fake news. That’s just a real cop-out. That’s a cop out for not wanting to answer questions — not wanting to answer questions from Congress, not wanting to answer questions from the press, and I don’t think the American people are buying it anymore’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/fox-news-jennifer-griffin-pentagon-pete-hegseth/