Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Jon Passantino

Dave Jorgenson @davejorgenson.bsky.social · 2h

The Post laid off seemingly the remaining of their liberal-leaning staff members on Opinion last Thursday, when some of them were observing Yom Kippur.

from @oliverdarcy.bsky.social for Status
status.news/p/washington-post-opinion-cuts-adam-oneal

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 13h

“What he's doing is contrary to his initial promise,” a former Post opinion staffer told @status.news “He's ensuring ideological conformity rather than the robust debate he had charted as his path forward.” www.status.news/p/washington...

Post Traumatic Disorder

Adam O’Neal says he’s bringing “intellectual diversity” to The Washington Post’s opinion pages—but the moves he’s making behind the scenes tell a different story.

www.status.news

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 13h

The new Washington Post opinion editor delivered surprise layoff notices to high-profile columnists and editors on Yom Kippur, while some were off observing the holiday. They’re being replaced with reliably conservative voices as Bezos tilts right, via @status.news www.status.news/p/washington...

Post Traumatic Disorder

Adam O’Neal says he’s bringing “intellectual diversity” to The Washington Post’s opinion pages—but the moves he’s making behind the scenes tell a different story.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 1d

Someone saying "Let's do the fucking news" is the ultimate sign that person has never, ever worked in a real newsroom (the fantasyland of the NYT Opinion section doesn't count)

max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 1d

Bari Weiss introduced herself to CBS News staff today on the network's 9AM call, saying she wants to "win," which requires restoring trust to CBS. She also said she was excited for staff to get to know the Free Press, and ended her remarks by saying: "Let's do the fucking news."

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 1d

A veteran CBS News journalist tells @status.news about Bari Weiss: “She has the gall to write her 10 commandments of journalism and share them with us? She is not a journalist, never has been.” www.status.news/p/bari-weiss...

Weiss and Shine

The Bari Weiss era has begun at CBS News, and David Ellison’s push to reshape the storied network has staffers holding their breath about the future of the outlet—especially as the mogul's talking poi...

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Hadas Gold @hadasgold.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: X's former communications chief speaks out in an exclu interview, telling me social media is not a replacement for journalism.

That's in direct contrast to what his former boss Elon Musk says, who often bashes the media and says X is the media now.

He used to work for X. Here’s what he says is wrong about Musk’s stance on the mainstream media. | CNN Business

X’s former communications chief spoke exclusively to CNN to about why social media isn’t a replacement for journalism, contrasting the opinion of his former boss Elon Musk.

www.cnn.com

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Kara Swisher @karaswisher.bsky.social · 1d

Hands down @oliverdarcy.bsky.social is the main must read in media reporting www.status.news/p/bari-weiss...

Weiss and Shine

The Bari Weiss era has begun at CBS News, and David Ellison’s push to reshape the storied network has staffers holding their breath about the future of the outlet—especially as the mogul's talking poi...

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 1d

News: The Pentagon has sent out its revised rules to reporters who wish to have building access. The new rules say that even soliciting tips on social media is grounds for losing badge access, per a copy I've obtained. More in tonight's edition of @status.news. Subscribe: www.status.news/subscribe

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 1d

It's now clear that Tom Cibrowski -- CBS News' president and a broadcast-news veteran who has covered wars, earthquakes and plane crashes-- will now have his judgment frequently overridden or second-guessed by Bari Weiss, who has never done any of those things.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...

News of the deal sent texts whizzing at the CBS News Broadcast Center in Manhattan, even though it had been reported on for months. Mr. Cibrowski, the news division president, addressed Ms. Weiss’s new role on the organization’s editorial call at 9 a.m. on Monday.

Reading from prepared notes, Mr. Cibrowski said that Ms. Weiss would visit the newsroom later in the day to meet with senior editorial staff and added that she would be on the network’s morning call going forward. Mr. Cibrowski said that he had met several times with Ms. Weiss and that he was “more and more excited” about working with her, noting that Ms. Weiss would be in charge of editorial matters from now on.

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 2d

Washington Post editor Matt Murray defends Jeff Bezos’ changes at the paper in a rare interview with @status.news: “there is zero ‘meddling’ from Jeff on the news report. Full stop.” www.status.news/p/matt-murra...

Murray’s WaPo Moment

In a rare interview with Status, Matt Murray addressed the upheaval inside The Washington Post—from the exodus of journalists to the paper’s fight to regain stability and reader confidence.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 2d

If U.S. states have any degree of sovereignty, if there’s any states’ rights at all, it is the right not to be invaded by the armed forces of another U.S. state.

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 4d

Trump told NBC on Sunday that he saw some Portland riot footage on Fox and thought it reflected current events.

It didn't. It was 5 years old, from the George Floyd aftermath.

And we learned that due to the diligence of a local TV reporter, who got the transcript.

www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...

Trump referenced a weekend conversation with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and he alluded to being told by Kotek that the reality in Portland is different from what’s being portrayed to him.

“I spoke to the governor, she was very nice,” Trump said. “But I said, ‘Well wait a minute, am I watching things on television that are different from what’s happening? My people tell me different.’ They are literally attacking and there are fires all over the place…it looks like terrible.”

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 7d

Scoop: The Washington Post's ad chief has been eying an exit from the newspaper. It's an exit that, should it happen, would spell big problems for Jeff Bezos' already embattled outlet.

Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/washington...

WaPo’s Ad Chief Wavers

Johanna Mayer-Jones, the executive tasked with helming The Post’s ad business, has been weighing her future at the paper—raising the prospect of another high-profile departure at a precarious moment.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 8d

On Monday, I testified at a forum held by Senators Blumenthal and Warren on Trump's efforts to stifle free speech.

Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/free-speec...

Status Goes to Washington

Senators convened a forum on Donald Trump’s assault on the media, with Status called as a witness to the threats facing the industry.

www.status.news

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 12d

The Pentagon is demanding news outlets sign a policy not to report on anything without its permission.

@status.news has learned no major outlet, including Fox, plans to sign Hegseth's pledge, setting up a showdown just as top military brass arrive for a rare meeting www.status.news/p/pentagon-p...

Predicament at the Pentagon

News organizations face a looming deadline from Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon, which is demanding they sign restrictive new rules, or risk being expelled from the building entirely.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 12d

White House photo op for the president's granddaughter's new $130 sweatshirt line

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 13d

The Trump Bibles in the classroom guy is out

Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 13d

BREAKING: Oklahoma Education Superintendent Ryan Walters says he is resigning. (Of course, he announced this on Fox News.)

www.koco.com/article/ryan...

Ryan Walters to resign as
Oklahoma state superintendent for private sector job
State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Wednesday that he will resign from office and take a job in the private sector.
VEWS
Updated: 10:46 PM CDT Sep 24, 2025

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Tyler Kingkade @tktk.bsky.social · 13d

After dozens of educators nationwide were fired or suspended for social media posts about Charlie Kirk, several have now filed federal lawsuits, saying these schools violated their First Amendment rights

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Jimmy Kimmel @jimmykimmel.com · 14d

As I was saying…

Jimmy Kimmel is Back!

YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live

youtu.be

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 14d

"while most news organizations devote enormous resources to covering Washington, very little is still spent by comparison toward covering the online underworld where movements are born and its adherents are radicalized"

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 14d

Scoop: CNN's softball interview with far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec drew internal backlash from senior journalists at the network, including Jake Tapper.

Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/cnn-jack-p...

CNN's Posobiec Problem

CNN's interview with Jack Posobiec prompted internal backlash, while raising larger questions about how mainstream outlets cover far-right figures.

www.status.news

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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 14d

“Well, there’s no question we are facing asymmetric civil warfare," far-right extremist Jack Posobiec told CNN.

Instead of the correspondent pushing back, CNN put it in the chyron and headline. The interview then set off internal backlash. Details in @status.news www.status.news/p/cnn-jack-p...

CNN's Posobiec Problem

CNN's interview with Jack Posobiec prompted internal backlash, while raising larger questions about how mainstream outlets cover far-right figures.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 14d

Scoop: CNN's softball interview with far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec drew internal backlash from senior journalists at the network, including Jake Tapper.

Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/cnn-jack-p...

CNN's Posobiec Problem

CNN's interview with Jack Posobiec prompted internal backlash, while raising larger questions about how mainstream outlets cover far-right figures.

www.status.news

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 14d

YouTube/Google has written a letter to Jim Jordan best summarized as “Yes sir thank you Mr Jordan sir”

It made Jordan so happy he wrote a very long tweet thread about it.

In it, he gloats ab getting them to agree never to do the fact-checking kind of “censorship” and to moderate how he prefers.

Rep. Jim Jord..&
l @Jim Jord... • 4h g ...
But that's not all. YouTube is making changes to its platform to prevent future censorship.
YouTube is committing to the American people that it will NEVER use outside so-called "fact-checkers" to censor speech.
No more telling Americans what to believe and not believe.
ist to other large platforms, YouTube has not operated a fact-check. ntifies and compensates fact-checking partners to produce content ion. YouTube has not and will not empower fact-checkers to take a tent across the Company's services.

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Peter Kafka @pkafka.bsky.social · 14d

Last year, Mark Zuckerberg told Republicans the Biden administration had pressured him to take content down.

Now Google is doing the same thing.

It's move designed to give Jim Jordan a win, while keeping Google off the regulatory hook.

www.businessinsider.com/google-meta-...

Mark Zuckerberg wrote the playbook for Big Tech leaders dealing with Republicans. Google paid attention.

Last year Mark Zuckerberg wrote the playbook for Big Tech leaders dealing with Republicans. Google paid attention.

www.businessinsider.com

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Reposted by Jon Passantino

Kirsten Grind @kirstengrind.bsky.social · 15d

NEW: Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, has been accused by family members of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren. Elon has repeatedly had to intervene, a secret that’s spanned generations. Our months-long investigation www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...

Elon Musk’s Father Accused of Child Sexual Abuse

www.nytimes.com

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