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Media Nonsense
A judge ordered Trump to let CNN, MS NOW and Politico back into the White House, because the press pool needed a judicial hall pass
The three outlets were barred after Trump objected to their coverage, then returned after a federal judge found the access ban could not stand.
READ STORY ↗Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, so the three outlets sued to get back into the building where the news happens
The administration barred the outlets over what Trump called unfavorable coverage, seized at least one reporter’s credential and now faces a First Amendment lawsuit.
READ STORY ↗Disney sued the FCC over ABC’s licenses, because apparently the First Amendment now renews by performance review
Reuters and AP report that Disney and ABC are fighting an early FCC review of eight ABC station licenses after the agency challenged the network and investigated “The Vi…
READ STORY ↗Texas Tech is using AI to cut “left-leaning” content, because apparently the syllabus needed a political Roomba
The New York Times reports that Texas Tech University is using artificial intelligence to identify and remove or reduce content it considers left-leaning, raising questi…
READ STORY ↗Kansas town will pay $850,000 after police raided a newspaper, because apparently the First Amendment needed a settlement check
The town of Marion agreed to pay former Marion County Record reporter Phyllis Zorn to end her federal lawsuit over a 2023 raid that authorities later said was not legall…
READ STORY ↗Myspace’s owners say they want to relaunch the site, because apparently the internet has decided it misses glitter graphics and emotional damage
CNN reports that Myspace’s owners say they plan to bring the social network back. Nothing has been confirmed, which is exactly how Myspace rumors used to spread before e…
READ STORY ↗The New York Times accused the EEOC of political retaliation, because apparently civil-rights enforcement now comes with a media-coverage mood ring
The paper says the federal agency sued it one week after a critical Times story about the agency's priorities, turning an employment dispute into a First Amendment count…
READ STORY ↗The Washington Post got sued for using secret customer data to charge different subscribers different prices, because apparently newspapers learned about price discrimination from airline loyalty programs and decided to make it creepy
A class-action lawsuit filed in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday alleges that the Post has been using reader data—browsing habits, reading frequency, demographic informat…
READ STORY ↗Spencer Pratt's reality TV bid for Los Angeles mayor crashed because it turns out viral AI apocalypse ads don't win deep blue cities
The Guardian reports reality television star Spencer Pratt, best known for his role as a villain on MTV's The Hills, lost his Los Angeles mayoral primary despite signifi…
READ STORY ↗Trump went to the Knicks game and the MSG watch party got moved, because apparently basketball needed a presidential security moat
TIME, CBS News New York and New York City say Trump's Game 3 NBA Finals appearance forced a Madison Square Garden watch-party relocation and heavy security restrictions.
READ STORY ↗Trump walked out of Meet the Press after being asked for evidence, because apparently "I listen" is now a document
The Guardian and BBC report Trump ended a Kristen Welker interview after she pressed him for evidence behind claims that California and 2020 elections were rigged.
READ STORY ↗DOJ says a short seller used TV hits to move stocks, because apparently market analysis needed a cash register backstage
DOJ says Andrew Left was convicted of securities fraud after using public reports, online posts and cable-news commentary to move stock prices while trading against his …
READ STORY ↗The FCC reminded broadcasters they serve the public interest, because apparently television needed a license-note from dad
The FCC issued a public notice encouraging broadcasters to review and modify operations to ensure compliance with public interest obligations.
READ STORY ↗ABC stations called the FCC license review unconstitutional, because apparently renewals now come with a mood ring
AP says ABC-owned stations accused the FCC of an unlawful and unconstitutional early review of broadcast licenses in eight local markets.
READ STORY ↗CNN sued Perplexity over AI answers, because apparently the internet needed a plagiarism blender with citations
Reuters says CNN filed a federal copyright lawsuit accusing Perplexity of copying thousands of stories, videos and images for competing AI products.
READ STORY ↗The FCC sole Democrat warned media companies not to fold, because apparently press freedom now needs a buddy system
AP says FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez is urging media companies to resist what she describes as Trump administration pressure on free speech.
READ STORY ↗The FCC opened comment on whether The View is news, because daytime television apparently needed a federal paperwork tribunal
The FCC Media Bureau is seeking comment on Disney ABC's request to declare The View a bona fide news interview program exempt from equal-opportunities rules.
READ STORY ↗A judge tossed Michael Wolff's Melania lawsuit, because apparently you cannot sue first and call it a legal umbrella
AP says a federal judge dismissed author Michael Wolff's lawsuit seeking to block or punish a possible Melania Trump defamation suit.
READ STORY ↗The FTC says Cox sold fake AI eavesdropping ads, because apparently surveillance theater needed a markup
The FTC says Cox Media Group and two marketing firms will pay $930,000 to settle claims they deceived customers about an "Active Listening" ad service.
READ STORY ↗ABC told the FCC to quit treating The View like campaign airtime, because apparently daytime TV needed a constitutional helmet
AP says ABC accused the Trump administration of trying to chill free speech in an FCC fight over whether The View is subject to equal-time rules.
READ STORY ↗The FTC backed off Media Matters, but the pressure campaign still did its job, because apparently losing later is fine if everyone panics now
The Guardian says the FTC settled its fight with Media Matters after an investigation tied to the watchdog's reporting on ads near pro-Nazi content on X.
READ STORY ↗Press Gazette found crypto writers who may not exist, because apparently the future of finance journalism is a stock photo with coin opinions
Press Gazette reports four prolific finance and crypto writers with more than 1,000 articles across dozens of outlets have not verified their identities and used AI-gene…
READ STORY ↗An FCC commissioner says Trump is running a censorship campaign against Disney, because apparently ABC needed a federal hall monitor
Reuters reports FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez accused the Trump administration of using regulatory actions to pressure Disney and ABC, including early license reviews and …
READ STORY ↗A judge tossed Ray Epps' Fox News defamation suit again, because conspiracy sludge is apparently hard to mop up in court
AP reports a federal judge dismissed Raymond Epps' defamation lawsuit against Fox News for a second time, after Epps said false Jan. 6 conspiracy theories led to threats…
READ STORY ↗ABC told the FCC that probing The View could chill campaign coverage, because apparently daytime TV now needs a constitutional helmet
ABC's Houston station says the Trump-controlled FCC is creating First Amendment uncertainty by questioning whether The View still qualifies as a bona fide news interview…
READ STORY ↗Trump keeps losing media cases but winning the pressure game, because apparently the lawsuit is the product now
Reuters reports courts keep rejecting Trump's media fights on First Amendment grounds, but the slow, costly process still lets the pressure campaign do damage.
READ STORY ↗The FCC is reviewing ABC licenses after a Kimmel joke, because apparently late-night monologues now come with regulatory airbags
PBS, CNN, BBC, and others report the FCC ordered early review of ABC station licenses after Trump and Melania Trump criticized Jimmy Kimmel over a joke.
READ STORY ↗Reuters says Trump keeps losing media fights in court but still keeps swinging, because apparently the lawsuit is the message
Reuters reports Trump has filed at least nine lawsuits against major media companies since 2020 while also using regulatory and access pressure against critical outlets.
READ STORY ↗The FCC ordered early ABC license reviews after a Jimmy Kimmel joke, because apparently the public airwaves now have hurt feelings
The Guardian reports the FCC is forcing eight ABC-owned stations into early license renewal after the White House attacked Kimmel, which is a very normal thing for a dem…
READ STORY ↗The White House press dinner became a security review after a shooting, because apparently even Washington's tuxedo night needs an incident report
Reuters reported law enforcement officials are reassessing security after a gunman opened fire near the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and a Secret Servi…
READ STORY ↗Trump went back to the White House press dinner after years of boycotts, because apparently the fake news is fine if there is assigned seating
Reuters reported Trump attended the White House Correspondents' Association dinner as president for the first time, after years of feuding with the press and skipping th…
READ STORY ↗A judge sent Newsmax's Fox lawsuit back to Florida after calling out forum shopping, because the media war apparently needed venue cosplay
Reuters and Courthouse News report a federal judge moved Newsmax's antitrust case against Fox back to Florida, saying Wisconsin had no meaningful connection to the dispu…
READ STORY ↗TMZ is roaming Washington without congressional credentials and still getting Hill content, because apparently politics finally admitted it was celebrity gossip with worse lighting
Politico reports TMZ DC has been working the Capitol-adjacent hallways and sidewalks despite lacking traditional Hill credentials, and staffers are bracing for their bos…
READ STORY ↗Three ad giants settled an FTC case over political-content boycotts, because even banner ads now need a congressional hearing vibe
Reuters reports Dentsu, Publicis, and WPP settled allegations that shared “brand safety” rules were used to steer ad dollars away from politically disfavored platforms, …
READ STORY ↗CNN ran a headline "Is Your Kitchen Making You Fat?" and the story was just "um, maybe eat less"
Not new research. Just "bigger plate = eat more food" dressed up with a giant scary headline and three segments of talking heads debating kitchen layout.
READ STORY ↗Fox News ran "Is coffee bad for you?" as a breaking alert, then the article said "coffee is fine, drink it"
The headline was designed to panic. The article said coffee is good. The push alert went out. The clarification never got the same reach.
READ STORY ↗"Some say" is the journalistic equivalent of throwing a match and leaving the room
When you see "some are saying," the outlet does not want to own the claim. They just want the juice. Gossip laundered into news.
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