Media News

News about the media.

Stormy Time for Media Matters

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Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 6/8/26

Headline::  “Media Matters’ Musk Mayhem”

Subhead:  “The progressive media watchdog has been forced to undergo layoffs and take other cost-cutting measures as it continues to battle the “dark MAGA” billionaire in a costly legal war, Status has learned.”

“In March of this year, an uncomfortable reality dawned on Angelo Carusone, the president of Media Matters, and the non-profit’s leadership team. As he examined the progressive media watchdog’s finances, which had come under enormous strain over the last year amid a costly legal war waged by Elon Musk, Carusone concluded that he would need to make some difficult cuts to the organization. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/media-matters-elon-musk-lawsuit-layoffs

Interview Tyrants?

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Joel Simon, 6/1/26

Headline:  “Should Journalists Interview Dictators?”

Subhead:  “Encounters on the line between control and conditions.”

“. . .The trope of the dictator interview—presenting a despot as a celebrity, a figure of popular fascination with whom a reporter has managed to secure time—crystallized in the sixties and seventies, when Oriana Fallaci, an Italian journalist and provocateur, confronted Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, among others. In 1979, not long after the triumph of the Iranian revolution, she interviewed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and—famously—ripped off her chador, calling it a “stupid medieval rag.” Barbara Walters took the opposite tack, humanizing and personalizing repressive leaders such as Fidel Castro, whom she first interviewed in 1977, and Mu‘ammar Gaddhafi, with whom she spoke a dozen years later. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/feature/should-journalists-interview-dictators-dan-rather-jon-lee-anderson-christiane-amanpour.php

Reporting More Than a Game

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Article in Reporters Without Borders by Staff, 5/28/26

Headline:  “Covering the 2026 World Cup? Prepare for more than football”

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking place from June 11 to July 19, is expected to draw thousands of journalists to the United States, Mexico, and Canada to cover the world’s biggest sporting event of the year. Beyond the stadiums, fan zones, and celebrations, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges media professionals to prepare for a more complex reporting environment marked by heightened surveillance, border scrutiny, and mounting concerns about press freedom in Mexico and the US. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://rsf.org/en/covering-2026-world-cup-prepare-more-football

Another Media Empire?

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Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover, 5/25/26

Headline:  “The creation of a new Murdoch empire”

Subhead:  “James Murdoch is taking over New York magazine and Vox, building a different media company than his father’s.”

“The name Murdoch hardly evokes a progressive sensibility for many American news consumers. It is most often associated with the right-wing editorial stance of Rupert Murdoch’s most prominent U.S. media properties: the cable giant Fox News, broadsheet the Wall Street Journal and city tabloid the New York Post. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/05/25/james-murdoch-is-building-different-kind-media-empire/

Local News Knows Prices

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Article in Media Matters by Allison Fisher, 5/12/26

Headline: “If you want to see how the costs of high fuel prices are adding up for Americans, look to local media

Subhead: Reporter: “Many are worrying about how they will adjust their budget just to buy gas”

“President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has caused oil prices to surge, spiking gas prices across the country. Local news outlets have spotlighted the various impacts these record high prices have had on Americans and the people and industries we rely on, from farmers and truckers to first responders, small businesses, and even our schools, among many others. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fuel-files-rising-gasoline-oil-and-fertilizer-prices/if-you-want-see-how-costs-high-fuel-prices-are

Journalists Continue – in Spite of. . .

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Article in Poynter by Sydney McGarr, 4/11/26

Headline:  “Journalism students know the industry is struggling. They’re choosing to enter it anyway”

Subhead:  “Student reporters from across the country say they’re worried about layoffs, AI and shrinking newsrooms but still feel called to the work”

“The outlook for aspiring journalists is increasingly uncertain.

“Layoffs ripple through major U.S. newsrooms, local papers shutter at an alarming rate, politicians sharpen their attacks on the press and AI technology threatens to make journalists obsolete.

“Yet, 10,073 students graduated with journalism degrees in the U.S. in 2025, according to a report by Data USA, an open-source platform for visualizing U.S. government data. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/educators-students/2026/why-students-are-choosing-journalism/

MAGA Media Shrinking?

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Article in Raw Story by Matthew Chapman, 5/1/26

Headline:  “Prominent right-wing news outlet hit with mass layoffs”

“The far-right Daily Wire faced mass layoffs this week — gutting the team of the long-prominent outlet initially founded by conservative activist Ben Shapiro.

“According to The Wrap, Ben Shapiro’s right-wing media company confirmed the layoffs in a statement to media on Friday afternoon, saying that impacted staffers are ‘a number of teams’ and layoffs were largely concentrated to its Nashville headquarters. ‘Today, The Daily Wire made a difficult decision to restructure the organization, which included layoffs to a number of teams,’ a spokesperson said.”

“The Daily Wire has been the focus of drama in previous years, one of the biggest incidents being the firing of right-wing star Candace Owens for pushing antisemitic conspiracy theories. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.rawstory.com/daily-wire-2676842325/?utm_source=superhead

Journalist Awards

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Article in Poynter by Jennifer Orsi, 4/27/26

Headline: “Here are the winners of the 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes”

Subhead: “Poynter contest honors journalism excellence across 12 categories, from local accountability to climate change to First Amendment issues”

“The Poynter Institute announced the winners and finalists for the 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes Monday, honoring journalists and news organizations across platforms for exceptional work in 12 categories for writing, reporting, innovation and leadership. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/here-are-the-winners-of-the-2026-poynter-journalism-prizes/

Food Fight at Correspondents’ Dinner?

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Article in Poynter by Amaris Castillo, Angela Fu, and Ren LaForme, 4/22/26

Headline:  “Opinion | The White House Correspondents’ Dinner guest list keeps raising eyebrows”

Subhead: “Brendan Carr’s planned appearance and Trump’s return complicate an event already fraught with press tensions”

“Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr plans to attend this weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Oliver Darcy reports in his Status newsletter, adding another controversial name to a guest list that already includes Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller and Donald Trump. Carr confirmed his attendance in a text message to Status, though it’s unclear what table he’ll join. His presence raises eyebrows because he has used his role to target major broadcasters and float potential actions against journalists. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/brendan-carr-fcc-chair-attending-whca-dinner/

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Article in Daily Beast by David Gardner, 4/22/26

Headline:  “Trump’s Plans for ‘Mic-Drop’ Media Confrontation Are Leaked”

Subhead:  “AFTER-DINNER SCREECH – The president is planning a rage-fueled moment at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.”

“Donald Trump will launch a ‘revenge’ attack on the White House media when he confronts them in person at a Washington dinner on Saturday night—then flee before there can be revenge.

“He is expected to target publications that he has accused of writing negatively about his administration and his war with Iran, in particular, according to sources.

“The Daily Beast is among the outlets the president and his aides have accused of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-plans-for-mic-drop-media-confrontation-at-white-house-correspondents-association-dinner-are-leaked/

Media Circus April 25th

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Article in Daily Kos by Staff, 4/21/26

Headline:  “Trump’s media hitman to rub elbows with his victims”

“Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, known for using his power to suppress free speech, will be a guest at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25.

“Carr was asked to attend the event by Paramount, the parent company of CBS, which is headed by Republican donor David Ellison.

“CBS News also reportedly invited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller. All three have frequently attacked dissenting speech throughout their careers, particularly since joining the Trump administration. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/4/21/800024865/whitehouse/trump-media-hitman-rub-elbows-with-victims/