Happy Friday! Disney has settled with Gina Carano, OpenAI has launched GPT-5, and David Ellison has testified to his love of "South Park." Plus, the latest on Greg Gutfeld, TikTok, Michael Bay, Instagram Map, "The Paper," and more... |
📺 Trump's TV-based crime wave hype |
The Financial Times recently dubbed it "the great crime paradox:" Violent crime rates are falling, both in the US and the UK, "but a growing share of people think levels are rising."
John Burn-Murdoch's piece asserts that "mounting public disorder" and "antisocial behavior" help explain the disconnect. It's a compelling argument. But I think he undersells the partisan media and algorithmic media’s power to warp people's perceptions of the world around them.
We can see it happening this week in the sudden storyline about Trump increasing federal law enforcement in DC while fear-mongering about crime being "totally out of control."
Responsible news outlets keep pointing out, as PBS "NewsHour" did, that "contrary to the president’s claims, violent crime in Washington, DC, last year hit a 30-year low." Nationally, as well, there is clear FBI data "showing crime down in every category," anchor Geoff Bennett said. CNN's overnight story detailed the DC stats.
But irresponsible media megaphones are engaging in argument by anecdote. They're citing highly visible crimes — like the recent assault of a former DOGE worker in an attempted carjacking — to justify Trump's desire to exert more control in DC. For example, Fox's story about the show of force asserts "a concerning surge in violent crime" with no mention of data to the contrary.
There is a pretty obvious connection between Trump's TV-watching habits and his crime wave hype. "I could show you a chart comparing DC to other locations, and you're not going to want to see what it looks like," he said Wednesday. "It was just up on television, actually; they were showing it."
Trump deriding DC is reminiscent of the Fox hosts who routinely trash New York City from a comfy studio in the heart of midtown Manhattan...
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That's the title of Stephen Collinson's latest Meanwhile in America newsletter for CNN. He says the data-driven reality about crime "doesn't fit the president’s dystopian vision of American inner cities pulsating with violent crime and gang warfare" — a vision that has a "strong racial undertone."
"Trump might say he's trying to keep Washingtonians safer," Collinson writes. "But supplementing civilian law enforcement with military personnel in their camouflage uniforms and armored vehicles would create an atmosphere of political repression as people hurry to work or leave bars and games of the hometown sports teams. Perhaps that’s what Trump really wants."
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Pirro asks Fox viewers for help |
Trump's longtime friend Jeanine Pirro, the Fox host turned US attorney in the nation's capital, is a key part of this anti-crime storyline. As The Washington Post reported last night, Pirro is taking aim at the city's crime laws, calling them "absurd."
Pirro was back on Fox earlier this week, telling Laura Ingraham that "I miss Fox. I love everybody. Government is hard." She also addressed her office's ongoing staffing shortage, openly asking Fox viewers to email her if they want to join the office, and then reading her USDOJ.gov email address aloud.
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David Ellison wanted to meet the press on his first day as chair and CEO of the new Paramount, but he didn't want to talk about Trump. Ellison repeatedly dodged Q's about whether he agreed to air PSAs for Trump-aligned causes. (Trump says yes, Ellison has.) He noticeably perked up when asked about entertainment, sports and other opportunities to grow the business. Here's my recap, plus some of the standout quotes from others at the presser:
>> Gerry Cardinale: "There's no way we're going to try to influence the news, because if you do that, you kill the investment basis. It's that simple."
>> Jeff Shell: The CBS ombudsman will be a "transparency vehicle, not an oversight vehicle."
>> Shell's big-picture comment about outdated tech, etc: "There is a lot of plumbing that needs to be fixed at this company."
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Ellison praises 'South Park' |
After the presser, I approached Ellison to ask about "South Park," given the show's status as one of Trump's most scathing critics. Will Paramount stomach the political headaches that could result?
Ellison said he hadn't watched Wednesday night's new episode yet (thereby sort of sidestepping the politics) but has been a fan of creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker for his entire adult life: "Matt and Trey are incredibly talented. They are equal opportunity offenders and always have been."
And then Ellison pivoted to the show's profitability and popularity on streaming, casting "South Park" as a model for how to grow Paramount+. Though Ellison didn't say this, it was a clear contrast with "The Late Show." I wrote all about it here...
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The FCC still has 👀 on CBS |
Earlier this week FCC chair Brendan Carr told Catherine Herridge that "the CBS complaint is still an open proceeding at the FCC." That's the "news distortion" complaint that was leveled by a conservative group about the "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris. In other words, Carr still has at least a little bit of leverage with Paramount, even after blessing the merger last month.
>> WaPo's Jeremy Barr asked Carr yesterday "how he would ensure that CBS adheres to its commitments in terms of ideological diversity and anti-bias," and Carr said he's in a "trust but verify posture."
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Here's how Mediaite framed the Fox comic's visit to "The Tonight Show" stage: "Trump Ally Greg Gutfeld Appears on Jimmy Fallon After President Says Fallon 'Next' on Chopping Block."
They played it safe, Bill Carter writes at LateNighter, with Gutfeld coming across not as a "take-no-lib-prisoners rising comic star of the right," but more like "a strange, fast-talking dude who does something on Fox News but mainly has a game show he wants to promote." Read/watch here...
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Disney settles Gina Carano suit |
"Ahead of a September trial date, Disney and Gina Carano have put down their lightsabers," Deadline's Dominic Patten writes. The two sides have settled Carano's Elon Musk-bankrolled discrimination lawsuit over her 2021 firing from "The Mandalorian," and it's "a distinct win for the openly conservative Carano." Financial terms weren't disclosed, but Disney said in a statement that "we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future."
>> "I doubt this case gets settled if Trump lost," entertainment law expert Eriq Gardner remarked.
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Netanyahu threatens to sue NYT |
Yesterday, The New York Times "rebuffed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's threat to sue for defamation... standing by its journalists who 'bravely, sensitively and at personal risk' report from the frontlines for the paper of record," TheWrap's Benjamin Lindsay reports.
>> "Attempts to threaten independent media providing vital information and accountability to the public are unfortunately an increasingly common playbook," the NYT added.
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Amanpour interviews Ms. Rachel |
CNN's Christiane Amanpour had an exclusive interview with YouTube star and children's educator Rachel Accurso, better known as Ms. Rachel. Accurso opened up about her experience advocating for children in Gaza, asking, "Don't we as grownups in this world have a responsibility to give all children [a] chance?" Here's the video and the transcript.
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>> Far-right podcaster Candace Owens repeatedly claimed French First Lady Brigitte Macron was a man. Then the Macrons sued her for defamation. Now Owens is likening Macron to a "foreign invader" and pleading with Trump to come to her rescue. (Hot Air)
>> Fox News has "filed its motion to dismiss Gavin Newsom's lawsuit over comments made by Jesse Watters," Jeremy Barr reports. (X)
>> Vice Media "has raised $75 million in the form of a credit facility with Western Alliance Bank to support the growth of Vice Studios, its scripted and unscripted production arm," Sara Fischer reports. (Axios)
>> Vox Media's Eater "laid off 15 employees with no notice" yesterday. The company "says they're reallocating resources to Eater app, and this is not a cost-saving measure." (Feed Me/X)
>> Correction: Yesterday, we wrote that FIRE represents Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk. The organization does not represent the pair but has filed amicus briefs in support of their cases. We regret the error.
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Katie Miller's pivot to podcasting |
The launch of "The Katie Miller Podcast" is intriguing for a few reasons: Miller is leaving her role as a top aide to Elon Musk; she is married to Stephen Miller, one of the most powerful people in the government; she is able to book guests like VP JD Vance, who will be on her first episode; and she claims, implausibly, that "there isn't a place for conservative women to gather online." So she says she is creating one. The podcast launches on Monday, and CNN's Liam Reilly talked with her about it...
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NYT pushes Congress re: TikTok |
"Among the many lawless acts of his second term," Trump's decision not to enforce the TikTok sale-or-ban law "is among the most brazen. It is also a gift to the world's most powerful authoritarian government," the NYT editorial board says. The board says, "Congress should step up. It should do what the founders intended and act as a bulwark of American democracy. It should insist that Mr. Trump enforce the law."
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>> OpenAI has launched GPT-5. "It's smarter and less likely to deceive you," Lisa Eadicicco writes. (CNN)
>> Truth Social "has launched a new AI search feature that consistently pushes conservative media sources." (The Verge)
>> Musk "plans to introduce advertising into the answers of X’s artificial intelligence chatbot and power the social media platform's flailing ads business with AI after the departure of chief executive Linda Yaccarino," Hannah Murphy reports. (FT)
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I like the new Instagram Map! But this week's rollout "has prompted confusion among some users" who are voicing privacy concerns, as NBC reported here. I can't help but wonder if some of the confusion stems from news stories that are repeating foolish user comments and unfounded fears. Meta released a new statement this morning trying to dispel the concerns: "Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only people you follow back — or a private, custom list you select — can see your location."
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>> "Weapons" and "Freakier Friday" are both arriving in theaters today. (Deadline)
>> "Michael Bay has exited Netflix‘s action film 'Fast and Loose' amid creative differences with star Will Smith." (THR)
>> Coming off the success of "Superman," James Gunn will write and direct the "next movie in the Super-Family," David Zaslav has confirmed. (Variety)
>> And last but not least, Peacock has released the official trailer for "The Paper," the semi-spinoff of "The Office" that's set at a struggling local newspaper. I am counting down the days til this show starts streaming! (YouTube)
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This edition of Reliable Sources was edited by Andrew Kirell and produced with Liam Reilly. Email us your feedback and tips here. We'll be back tomorrow with a special Saturday edition! |
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