Media News

News about the media.

The Door is Closing on Salon

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Article in The Wrap by Benjamin Lindsay, 11/5/26

Headline: “Salon, Pioneering Digital News Website, Shutters After 31 Years”

Subhead:  “It’s difficult to find the right words for the end of something that has meant so much to so many people,” site leadership writes in an open letter”

“. . .Founded by a small group of journalists on an aspirational idea of “what journalism could be,” the site touted a “strong voice, a curiosity about the world and a belief that the internet could bring journalism and readers together in new ways.” Its founding editors helped pioneer the internet news medium that came “to define an entirely new era of publishing,” the letter reads. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/salon-shuts-down/

Media Say “Wow”!

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 11/4/126

Headline: “Opinion | As Democrats swept the midterms, news anchors struggled to find the words”

Subhead:  “‘Wow’ was the word of the night as a historic blue wave stunned election-night broadcasters”

“. . .On Tuesday night, the word “wow” might have been uttered on TV more than any other interjection ever. Anchors, analysts, election experts — you name it — all ran out of words to express their surprise at a variety of races. NBC’s Steve Kornacki might have been the league leader in ‘wows.’ Or it might have been CNN’s Jake Tapper. Or maybe it was MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/2026-midterms-democratic-sweep-election-night-media-coverage/

MAGA Media at Odds

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Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover, 11/4/26

Headline:  “A MAGA media civil war erupts over who’s to blame for the GOP’s thrashing”

Subhead:  “Trump’s allies cite the Iran war, the economy and one another after Republicans’ election rout exposed deep divisions in the MAGA media world.”

“. . .These pronouncements from the Republican Party’s two standard-bearers did little to quell the finger-pointing from right-wing influencers and media personalities after the massive blue wave on election night.

“By Wednesday morning, the party’s media firebrands sought not only answers but also scapegoats. Commentators and influential right-wing personalities offered sharply different accounts of what went wrong. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/11/04/maga-media-civil-war-erupts-over-whos-blame-gops-thrashing/

Fox News Falling

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Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 11/4/26

Headline:  “Fox News suffers ratings slump on bleak election night for Republicans”

Subhead:  “In early, preliminary figures, the news channel trailed several other networks in prime-time viewership”

“On a midterm election night that was a huge disappointment for Republicans, with Democrats taking control of the US House and Senate, the country’s most prominent conservative television network felt the brunt of viewer disillusionment with Donald Trump and his party, according to preliminary audience numbers.

“The Fox News Channel, which often leads in viewership on election night, appears to have come out far behind the competition. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/nov/04/fox-news-midterm-ratings

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Article in Media Matters by Matt Gertz, 11/4/26

Headline:  “The midterm results are a crushing rebuke to Fox News’ Trump propaganda”

“. . .For Fox’s troubles, the network received a significant drop in viewership leading up to Election Day — one apparently triggered by disaffected Republicans changing the channel — and election night attacks from a president who called in and lashed out at the network for being insufficiently supportive. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/midterm-results-are-crushing-rebuke-fox-news-trump-propaganda

Media Michigan Shockwave

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 11/2/26

Headline: “Haley Stevens’ stunning endorsement set off a media firestorm. Will Michigan voters care?”

Subhead:  “The Michigan Democrat withdrew her support for Abdul El-Sayed and endorsed Republican Mike Rogers just days before Election Day”

“. . .The New York Times’ Bayliss Wagner, Reid J. Epstein and Tim Balk wrote, “The extraordinary development reflected both the bitter disagreements over Israel and the personal animosity between the two prominent Michigan Democrats. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/haley-stevens-endorses-mike-rogers-michigan-senate-race/

Hear, Hear Mr. President?

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Article in AlterNet by Sarah K. Burris, 10/30/26

Headline: “Morning Joe has a new theory behind Trump’s ‘crazed rage’ at the media”

“. . .Jonathan Lemier noted that aides inside the White House have been saying for a while that the president simply can’t hear anymore and he frequently must lean in and ask people to repeat themselves. As his niece Mary Trump has noted several times, Trump doesn’t like to show weakness. So needing a hearing aid would likely make him feel weak. . . ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.alternet.org/trump-mental-health-2678170734/

TV News Evolving

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Article in Poynter by Kerwin Speight, 10/30/26

Headline: “Opinion | Scripps is cutting anchors and adding reporters. Is this the future of local TV news?”

Subhead: “Anchorless newscasts offer an early look at what viewers could gain — and lose — as local TV evolves”

“CEO Adam Symson announced the job cuts Tuesday, marking the second wave of layoffs this year. In August, 268 employees were let go. Most notable among that group were news anchors at some stations.

At the same time, Scripps’ WMAR-TV in Baltimore debuted newscasts without anchors. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2026/scripps-anchorless-local-tv-news-reporters/

New WH Press-Pool-Room Use?

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Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 10/20/26

Headline:  “Opinion | Buried in Trump’s 1,300-word Bill Maher rant was some news about the press”

Subhead:  “In his record-long post, the president said he isn’t bringing back the White House pool. Moving the press, however, is apparently on the table.”

“. . .There were rumors recently that Trump was thinking of turning the White House briefing room into an indoor swimming pool.

“Trump wrote in his Truth Social post, “I am not building a swimming pool in the White House Briefing Room, and never had any intention of doing so.”

“But then Trump added, “I am thinking about moving the Press, and putting them in a different location, but I will use that location for very badly needed space. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/trump-bill-maher-truth-social-post/

Time to Run Away From CBS?

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Article in the Daily Beast by Laura Esposito, 10/26/26

Headline:  “CBS News Staff Eye Escape From Trumpy Boss: ‘It’s Ugly’”

Subhead:  “’Folks are tired,’ a CBS News source told the Post.”

“David Ellison is offering buyouts to employees at CBS News and other Skydance properties. . .”

“The shake-up comes as Ellison, the son of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, succeeded in his bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery under the Skydance Paramount umbrella. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/cbs-news-staff-eye-escape-from-trumpy-boss-david-ellison

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