media6.735 min read
Fonda Defends Ruffalo From Antisemitism Smear in Merger Debate
2 hours ago•Source: TheWrap
Media News
The latest media stories, summarized by AI
Featured Media Stories
View original source
1.88 min•3 hours ago
ABC Grabs Lead in Week's Evening News Ratings as All Networks Rise
ABC World News Tonight led the week of Aug. 17 with 8.462 million total viewers and 1.059 million Adults 25-54 (demo down slightly from the prior week), up year over year; NBC Nightly News posted 6.634 million viewers and 1.025 million demo, rising versus last week and the prior year; CBS Evening News had 3.965 million viewers and 458,000 demo, also up from the previous week. Note that World News Tonight and Nightly News averages are based on Mon-Wed data, while CBS Evening News is calculated over Mon-Thu.
More Top Stories
2
CNN Broadcast Hindered by Warner Bros. Discovery Technical Outage
Mediaite•1 day ago
3
Arbitrator Orders Washington Post to Reinstate Karen Attiah
Fox News•1 day ago
More Media Stories
Arbitrator Orders WaPo to Reinstate Karen Attiah Over Charlie Kirk Posts
An arbitrator ruled that the Washington Post improperly terminated Karen Attiah for her social-media posts about Charlie Kirk, ordering the paper to rehire her and compensate back pay and benefits; Attiah calls it a victory for free expression, while WaPo says it respects arbitration and declined further comment.
Secret $6M Gift Triggers Forbes Editor Firing and Independent Probe
RJ Shook, founder of Shook Research, says he paid about $6 million to Randall Lane, Forbes’ chief content officer, as a “gift” for Lane’s guidance during Shook Research’s 2025 sale. Forbes then fired Lane after the undisclosed payment came to light and launched an independent review, saying there’s no evidence the rankings’ integrity was compromised. Shook acknowledges the gift was a mistake and Lane says he regrets not disclosing it. The episode underscores questions about transparency and outside business dealings connected to Forbes’ rankings.
Arbitrator Rules Washington Post Must Reinstate Karen Attiah With Back Pay
An independent arbitrator ruled The Washington Post must reinstate columnist Karen Attiah with backpay and benefits, finding her termination violated the Post Guild’s collective bargaining agreement; Attiah argued she was doing her job as an opinion journalist, and her firing followed social-media posts after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The Post said it respects the arbitration process but declined to comment further, while the guild contended the firing was pretextual and punished speech within her duties; Attiah was the Post’s last full-time Black opinion columnist.
Emily Compagno Secures Full-Time Co-Host Spot on The Five
Fox News promotes Emily Compagno to a permanent co-host role on The Five, effective Sept. 8, joining Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino and Jesse Watters; she will leave Outnumbered, with rotating hosts filling her seat until a permanent replacement is named. The Five remains a top-rated cable-news program, averaging 3.6 million viewers in Q2 2026 and 322,000 in the 25–54 demo.
Arbitrator orders Washington Post to reinstate Black writer tied to Kirk posts
An arbitrator ruled The Washington Post must reinstate Black opinion writer Karen Attiah, finding the firing over social-media posts about violent white men following Charlie Kirk’s death to be without sufficient cause and awarding back pay and benefits, a potential landmark for press freedom.
Defense Dept. ousts Stars and Stripes chiefs after interference critique
The Pentagon fired Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor in chief Erik Slavin, and a reporter after the paper criticized DOD interference and participated in a CBS News interview the Pentagon deemed insubordination, signaling a blow to the military newspaper’s editorial independence.
Alabama jury finds NYT liable for defaming former college basketball player Kai Spears
A jury in Alabama found The New York Times liable for defamation after it incorrectly reported that Kai Spears, a former University of Alabama basketball player, was at the scene of a deadly shooting in 2023, ordering about $9.25 million in damages; Spears was deemed a private figure and the Times expressed disappointment with the verdict.
Seattle Times columnist resigns after column on transgender athletes is spiked
Seattle Times sports columnist Matt Calkins resigned after the paper declined to publish his column written from two female athletes’ perspectives opposing transgender athletes and supporting Sophie Cunningham; he released the piece on Substack.
ABC Resists Trump With FCC Lawsuit as O’Donnell Returns to Spotlight
ABC and Disney have escalated against the Trump administration by suing the FCC over expediting license renewals, arguing that government pressure is shaping ABC’s programming and signaling a broader shift away from capitulation. Meanwhile Rosie O’Donnell’s return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! is portrayed as a defiant stand for First Amendment values and media resilience, illustrating a broader pushback against regulatory and consolidation pressures in the industry.
Brooke Baldwin pivots to independent reporting, seeking more intimacy in life and work
Former CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin says she wants more intimacy in relationships and reveals she’s developing an independent journalism project, America, Tell Me Everything, to report on women across the U.S., signaling a move to journalism on her own terms after leaving CNN.