David Folkenflik
@davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
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NPR media guy Author, Murdoch’s World
pinned post!
Hey folks. 👋🏼 I cover media, politics and the news business for NPR News. Intend to post and explore here, mostly about my work, the occasional personal musing. Let’s do this!
about 1 year ago
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Marisa Kabas
7 days ago
In this clip from a right wing radio show on Friday, Trump claims that on Christmas Eve the US “knocked out” a facility in Venezuela from which the supposed drug boats launch. Has this been reported anywhere else? The station’s write up doesn’t mention it:
wabcradio.com/2025/12/26/s...
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Steve Herman
12 days ago
The self-proclaimed head of USAGM, Kari Lake, who this year destroyed nearly all of the Voice of America, tells the agency's few remaining journalists the White House National Security Strategy will "guide our interview subjects, story selection, and coverage going forward."
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CBS's Weiss, 60M, the Ellisons and the White House My conversation coming up on NPR's All Things Considered 4.20/6.20p - tune in
13 days ago
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KSUT Public Radio
16 days ago
In this half hour piece, we hear from KSUT Director Tami Graham and Attorney Steve Zansberg, who represents the co-plaintiffs. They talk about KSUT's decision to join the case and what’s at stake for public radio. We also hear from NPR’s David Folkenflik on the December 4 court hearing.
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Where things stand in NPR v. Trump, of which KSUT is a co-plaintiff
We hear from KSUT Executive Director Tami Graham and Attorney Steve Zansberg, who represents the co-plaintiffs. They talk about KSUT's decision to join the case and what’s at stake for public radio st...
https://www.ksut.org/2025-12-19/where-things-stand-in-npr-v-trump
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My story on the decision of CBS Editor in Chief Bari Weiss to pull a 60 Minutes story on alleged abuses of Venezuelan migrants sent to notorious Salvadoran Center. Updated with this morning's remarks from Weiss:
www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g...
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CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g-s1-103282/cbs-chief-bari-weiss-pulls-60-minutes-story
13 days ago
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I'm joining Steve Inskeep on NPR's Morning Edition at 9.34am to talk about Weiss and 60M - tune in
add a skeleton here at some point
13 days ago
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CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls 60 Minutes story Weiss said investigation had to include comments from Trump administration 60M's Sharyn Alfonsi said multiple US agencies refused to comment - and this lets WH veto coverage My NPR story
www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g...
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CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g-s1-103282/cbs-chief-bari-weiss-pulls-60-minutes-story
13 days ago
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Carl Quintanilla
17 days ago
“.. Trump’s $1,776 checks for more than a million troops .. come from Congressionally-allocated reconciliation funds intended to subsidize housing allowances for service members, a senior administration official confirmed.”
@defenseone.bsky.social
www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
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Bobby Allyn
18 days ago
Trump's BBC lawsuit suggests residents of Florida, where suit was filed, are increasingly turning to VPNs to access things like the BBC program in question. The real reason for Florida's VPN spike? Avoiding age verification laws for porn
www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n...
by
@davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
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Trump's BBC lawsuit: A botched report, BritBox, and porn
President Trump's lawsuit alleges that the BBC's fall 2024 documentary was "a brazen attempt" to harm his re-election. The BBC has apologized but rejects his claim.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5646697/trump-sues-bbc-florida-britbox-porn
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USA TODAY
19 days ago
Exclusive: The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, according to a senior White House official, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
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Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
https://bit.ly/4q5KZfA
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Trump’s BBC lawsuit: A botched report, BritBox, and porn My analysis for NPR:
www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n...
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Trump's BBC lawsuit: A botched report, BritBox, and porn
President Trump's lawsuit alleges that the BBC's fall 2024 documentary was "a brazen attempt" to harm his re-election. The BBC has apologized but rejects his claim.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5646697/trump-sues-bbc-florida-britbox-porn
18 days ago
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ryan cooper
20 days ago
"Meta calculated that about 19% of that money – more than $3 billion – was coming from ads for scams, illegal gambling, pornography and other banned content, according to internal Meta documents reviewed by Reuters."
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
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Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue
A Reuters investigation reveals the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp decided to accept high levels of fraudulent advertisements from China. Internal company documents show Meta wanted to mini...
https://www.reuters.com/investigations/meta-tolerates-rampant-ad-fraud-china-safeguard-billions-revenue-2025-12-15/
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Bill Grueskin
20 days ago
Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the Bondi killers, became an Australian citizen 3 years ago. His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship." He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
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News: Boston Globe brings back Brian McGrory as editor. He replaces Nancy Barnes who served in top newsroom role for past three years. McGrory - much admired during Globe tenure - is now head of Boston University's journalism program and helped lead board of Baltimore Banner.
20 days ago
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Hanukkah is a modest holiday. But I value it I tell my kids light offers hope amid discouragement and illuminates possible paths when the way seems obscured All the more important after a heartbreaking weekend the lights offer the possibility of light in days ahead
20 days ago
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Bill Grueskin
22 days ago
Kudos to the Brown University students who are posting continuous live updates, spaced just minutes apart, on the campus shooting. A lot of grace and professionalism under immense pressure.
www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025...
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Live updates: Two deceased in active shooter incident at Brown University
Serving the Brown University community since 1891
https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/12/live-updates-active-shooter-at-brown-university
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CNN has endured turmoil for years. Now Trump wants role in its fate as Netflix, Paramount fight over Warner Bros. My analysis for NPR
www.npr.org/2025/12/12/n...
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CNN has endured turmoil for years. Now Trump wants role in its fate
In the corporate battle over parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's fate remains up for grabs. President Trump wants a say in what happens next.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/12/nx-s1-5640900/cnn-trump-warner-bros-netflix-paramount
23 days ago
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Gady Epstein
23 days ago
When the AI child safety story is also a China influence story, lol ‘Asked whether Taiwan is a country, it would repeatedly lower its voice and insist that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. That is an established fact” or a variation of that sentiment.‘
www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
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Kyle Clark
24 days ago
NEW: President Donald Trump says he is granting a pardon to Tina Peters, who was convicted on state charges related to tampering with Colorado's election systems. Legal experts say presidential pardons do not apply to state charges.
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Hey friends! About to join Mr. @AriMelber a bit past the half-hour on the new MSNOW to talk about Pete Hegseth, new press rules at the Pentagon, and White House relations with the news media. Tune in!
26 days ago
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Not so fast, Netflix. Paramount is launching a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. My story and Morning Edition chat for NPR:
www.npr.org/2025/12/08/n...
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Not so fast, Netflix. Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount has launched a hostile bid for the company that's home to Casablanca, Batman and CNN. Just Friday, Netflix and Warner Brothers executives were celebrating a deal they had struck.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/08/nx-s1-5637272/paramount-warner-brothers-wbd-netflix
27 days ago
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NPR fights Trump's executive order against public media The case isn't getting much attention. But it pits the press's right not to face government retaliation over coverage against the president's assertion of vast executive powers My story:
www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g...
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NPR battles Trump executive order in court
NPR was in court for a pivotal hearing arguing that the Trump administration had broken the law with its treatment of public media.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g-s1-100844/npr-battles-trump-executive-order-in-court
30 days ago
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Scott MacFarlane
about 1 month ago
Reminder about Jan 6: it really happened It was a horror 140+ police were injured A range of violent weapons were used by attackers Chants to hang Mike Pence were heard There was a gallows and guns Pipe bombs diverted police as mob approached
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New York Times sues Defense Secretary Hegseth over media restrictions - coming up on NPR's Morning Edition at 6.45/8.45a My written story for NPR:
www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n...
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'New York Times' sues Pentagon over media restrictions
The Times accuses Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth of violating its constitutional rights with a press policy that, the paper says, deprives the public of access to critical national security information.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/04/nx-s1-5631838/new-york-times-pentagon-defense-hegseth-lawsuit
about 1 month ago
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Fox News faces critical test in 2nd big defamation suit over spurious 2020 election fraud claims My story for NPR
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
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Fox News faces critical test in 2nd case over false 2020 election claims
The allegations in the multibillion-dollar case sound familiar: A voting-tech company accuses Fox News of defamation for false claims it broadcast about rigged votes in the 2020 presidential election.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/02/nx-s1-5627506/fox-news-smartmatic-lawsuit-election-claims-trial
about 1 month ago
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NPR
about 1 month ago
We're bringing back our listener poll to help stick a fork in 2025 and make sense of all the amazing music that came out. So... tell us your top five albums (or EPs) this year.
n.pr/3MotDf6
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VOTE: What are 2025's best albums?
We're bringing back our listener poll to help stick a fork in 2025 and make sense of all the amazing music that came out. So... tell us your top five albums (or EPs) this year.
https://n.pr/3MotDf6
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Justin Hendrix
about 1 month ago
"Populist Republicans, particularly those in the MAGA base, immediately saw how much Sacks had influence throughout the entire order, and how much the order would threaten any state." -
@tinanguyen.bsky.social
on the politics of last week's draft AI EO:
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David Sacks tried to kill state AI laws — and it blew up in his face
A leaked executive order reveals that the tech billionaire would have become America’s AI policy gatekeeper.
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/829179/david-sacks-ai-executive-order
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Patricia Zengerle
about 1 month ago
Trump's Pentagon threatens to recall Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, to active duty status in order to prosecute him - days after Trump criticized him and five other Democrats and said they could be executed for a video saying troops could refuse to obey illegal orders.
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Justin Hendrix
about 1 month ago
"It seems like a marvel of financial engineering: Meta is building a $27 billion data center in Louisiana, financed with debt, and neither the data center nor the debt will be on its own balance sheet."
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AI Meets Aggressive Accounting at Meta’s Gigantic New Data Center
Favorable treatment off the balance sheet hinges on some convenient assumptions.
https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai-data-center-finances-d3a6b464
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Olivia Messer
about 1 month ago
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old with intellectual disabilities, wandered away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE. “They’re failing all of us,” his mom said.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
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A Disabled Child’s Mom Reported Him Missing. He Was Locked Away by Federal Immigration Authorities for 48 Days.
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old who has an intellectual disability, walked away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. Houston Police called ICE.
https://thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/disabled-child-federal-immigration-custody/
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Natalie Escobar
about 1 month ago
It's Books We Love Day, aka the best day of the year, shepherded by
@bethnovey.bsky.social
and the rest of the stellar books team at
@npr.org
!
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Books We Love
Here are 380+ great reads from 2025 handpicked just for you by NPR staffers and trusted critics.
https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2025
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Carl Quintanilla
about 1 month ago
Meta’s data-center accounting gets the Jon Weil treatment: It’s “financed with debt, and neither the data center nor the debt will be on its own balance sheet. That outcome looks too good to be true, and it probably is.”
@wsj.com
$META
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
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Columbia Journalism Review
about 1 month ago
While major news outlets obsessed over the anticipated release of the Epstein files, MAGA news influencers partied at Mar-a-Lago. Read Amos Barshad.
www.cjr.org/feature/jame...
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While major news outlets obsessed over the anticipated release of the Epstein files, MAGA news influencers partied at Mar-a-Lago.
While major news outlets obsessed over the anticipated release of the Epstein files, Trump-friendly news influencers celebrated how far they’ve come.
https://www.cjr.org/feature/james-okeefe-media-group-citizen-journalist-award-gala-maga-news-influencer-content-creator-mar-a-lago-trump-news.php
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David Folkenflik
David Bier
about 1 month ago
They planned to force him to crash or shoot him for recording their crimes. They then accused him of assaulting them.
www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/c...
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ICE video shows officers planned to ‘smash’ into Charlotte man filming Border Patrol
Immigration agents had a 12-pack of Modelos in their car while making arrests, Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez told investigators.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article313010544.html
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Ohio Capital Journal
about 1 month ago
Ohio utility regulators handed down a quarter billion-dollar penalty Wednesday against FirstEnergy for its part in the Ohio House Bill 6 political bribery and utility bailout scandal.
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/11/21/o...
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Ohio regulators order $250 million penalty against FirstEnergy for role in bribery scandal • Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio utility regulators handed down a quarter billion-dollar penalty Wednesday against FirstEnergy for its part in the Ohio House Bill 6 scandal. The Public Utility Commission of Ohio decision comes…
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/11/21/ohio-regulators-order-250-million-penalty-against-firstenergy-for-role-in-bribery-scandal/
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The New Yorker
about 1 month ago
“When you are dying, at least in my limited experience, you start remembering everything.” Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, writes about receiving a terminal diagnosis.
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/4SkkDI
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A Battle with My Blood
When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/4SkkDI
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Bill Grueskin
about 1 month ago
The Salt Lake Tribune, which went from for-profit to non-profit 6 years ago, is about to drop its paywall. "The Tribune cannot afford to limit who has access to independent and trusted news." Meanwhile, it just launched a new newspaper in southern Utah.
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/11...
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The Salt Lake Tribune will drop its paywall next year, CEO tells donors at NewsMakers gala
After years of requiring people to pay for online news content, The Tribune announced an upcoming change during its 2025 annual NewsMakers Gala.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/11/21/newsmakers-2025-gala-salt-lake/
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Jacqueline Sweet
about 1 month ago
NEW: Trump has offered his personal support to MAGA influencer Nick Sortor and invited him to the White House as a star journalist. While Sortor was at an event with Trump, Bondi, Patel and Noem, a warrant for his arrest was active in Kentucky.
jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/maga-influ...
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MAGA influencer invited to White House as a favorite Trump "journalist" has an active warrant for his arrest
A woman said he stole her dog, then assaulted her after she rebuffed his sexual advances. Now Nick Sortor is facing arrest in Kentucky for violating his probation.
https://jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/maga-influencer-invited-to-white?r=bb8a&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
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Trump is insulting and seeking to intimidate reporters. He's also sending a message to media bosses: you better play ball. My analysis from today's Morning Edition
one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5613...
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🔊 Listen Now: Trump lashes out at reporter, highlighting a pattern of attacking press he dislikes
Morning Edition on NPR One | 3:55
https://one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5613756:nx-s1-9541027
about 2 months ago
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Kyle Griffin
about 2 months ago
Breaking: The House voted unanimously, 426-0, to strip a provision in the funding bill that allowed senators to sue the government for $500K if their phone data was searched without their knowledge. The provision was designed for GOP senators to sue over the Jack Smith investigation.
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Marisa Kabas
about 2 months ago
SCOOP — A former staffer for Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Natalie Green, 26, was charged today for falsely reporting she was attacked by 3 men who wrote "TRUMP WHORE" on her stomach bc of her job. It was staged by her + a friend. Van Drew isn't named in the complaint but I've confirmed w/ his office.
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Employee of a Federal Official Charged with Conspiracy to Falsely Report Violent Attack and Giving False Statements to Law Enforcement
A New Jersey woman was charged with conspiring and falsely reporting to law enforcement that she had been violently assaulted with a firearm due to her employment with a federal official.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/employee-federal-official-charged-conspiracy-falsely-report-violent-attack-and-giving
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Carl Quintanilla
about 2 months ago
“.. a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.”
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...
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Good rant here from Columbia's
@bgrueskin.bsky.social
- a veteran news executive
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 months ago
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News: To settle NPR's lawsuit, CPB revives $36 million deal it killed after Trump’s pressure My story for NPR:
www.npr.org/2025/11/17/n...
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CPB agrees to revive a $36 million deal with NPR killed after Trump's pressure
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed Monday to fulfill a $35.9 million, multi-year contract with NPR that it had yanked after pressure from the Trump White House.
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/17/nx-s1-5611103/npr-trump-cpb-lawsuit
about 2 months ago
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Bill Grueskin
about 2 months ago
here's the context
bsky.app/profile/arid...
add a skeleton here at some point
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Bill Grueskin
about 2 months ago
This story by
@davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
about Landon Thomas, former NYT reporter now appearing in the latest email tranche, soliciting a $30k contribution from Jeffrey Epstein? Yes, you can read it here
www.npr.org/2019/08/22/7...
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Update: In 3 recent editorials, WaPo failed to disclose owner Jeff Bezos's interest in the matter under discussion. WaPo added one disclosure after
@bgrueskin.bsky.social
called it out. Two weeks after my story, the other two editorials still have none. And the paper still won't say why
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'Washington Post' editorials omit a key disclosure: Bezos' financial ties
Three times in the past two weeks, editorials at the 'Washington Post' failed to disclose that they focused on matters in which owner Jeff Bezos had a material interest.
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/28/nx-s1-5587932/washington-post-editorials-omit-a-key-disclosure-bezos-financial-ties
about 2 months ago
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About that BBC crisis - and Trump's threat of a lawsuit I'll break it all down with NPR's
@ailsachang.bsky.social
Tonight at 5.14/7.14p ET on All Things Considered
about 2 months ago
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Trial set for Dec 1 over NPR's allegations that CPB unlawfully yielded to White House pressure as new evidence comes to light. CPB contends it reversed course in 48 hours on a $36M contract with NPR on the merits. My story:
www.npr.org/2025/10/30/n...
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Trial set over NPR allegations that CPB yielded to White House pressure
NPR alleges that CPB unlawfully yanked away a planned three-year contract worth $36 million in the face of intense pressure from the White House to sever ties with the radio network.
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/30/nx-s1-5590945/npr-cpb-lawsuit-trial-political-pressure
2 months ago
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Kyle Cheney
2 months ago
HAPPENING NOW: Portland Police Commander Franz Schoening testifies that federal officers on Oct. 18 barraged protesters with crowd control munitions — not because of any violence but because another federal officer accidentally shot tear gas onto the roof of the ICE facility.
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