David Folkenflik

Friends! Why did a judge rule that Trump administration official Kari Lake acted illegally in gutting the Voice of America? And why does it matter?

I'll break it down on NPR's 1A

Tune in live on 10.06a ET on WAMU, WYPR or wherever you listen or stream

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

Friends! A US judge ruled that @KariLake has acted illegally - without proper legal authority - in running Voice of America and its federal parent agency.

I'll join @NPRinskeep at 6.45/8.45A on Morning Edition

My written story below. Tune in!

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America

My story for NPR and my chat on All Things Considered

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America.

If it holds up, his sweeping ruling would nullify just about everything she's done in the past year in trying to dismantle VoA and its sister networks.

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

Paragraph five sets the table

"The Ellisons have staged what appears to be a lightning-swift ascent through social and legacy media relying heavily on their connection to the Oval Office."

Journalists at CNN are fearful for what's ahead if Paramount takes over - but want to just do the job

My conversation with @ailsachang on NPR's All Things Considered, coming up at 4.35/6.35p

Paramount and Warner Bros' deal is about merging studios, and a whole lot more The nearly $111 billion marriage would unite Paramount and Warner film studios, streamers and television properties — including CNN — under the control of the wealthy Ellison family.

Paramount, Warner Bros deal would unite film, news and social media forces in the age of Trump

My analysis for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/02/27/n...

RFK Jr. made promises to get his job as health secretary. He's broken many of them In his confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told U.S. senators that he would not cut funding for vaccine research or change the nation's official vaccine recommendations. He did both.

In his confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told U.S. senators that he would not cut funding for vaccine research or change the nation's official vaccine recommendations. He did both. n.pr/46QDn9p

Hogsett hasn’t delivered a ‘Disclose Indy’ ethics portal. So we built one. We also obtained records not previously made public as promised.

In 2015, Indianapolis’ mayor promised a public portal for ethics filings, campaign finance records and city contracts. It never launched.

So, AJP-supported @mirrorindy.org, with the IndyStar built it — putting critical public records in one searchable place.

New Knight Institute Initiative to Focus on “Reconstructing Free Expression” After Trump

Very excited about this new @knightcolumbia.org project, both because it gives us the chance to look beyond the current democratic crisis and because so many super people have already agreed to participate. knightcolumbia.org/content/new-...

WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News WNYC is America's most listened-to public radio station and the producer of award-winning programs and podcasts like Radiolab, On the Media, and The Brian Lehrer Show.

Friends in NYC and beyond!

I'll break down the state of play at the Washington Post with WNYC's Alison Stewart & @AllOfItWNYC

12.06-12.35 on 93.9 FM or wnyc.org

Tune in!

'Washington Post' CEO resigns after going AWOL during massive job cuts Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis has resigned just days after the newspaper announced massive layoffs.

'Washington Post’ CEO Will Lewis out after going AWOL during mass layoffs

My story for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...

Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell Somewhat devastating news today from the CIA: One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. There's not even a hint as to why they …

The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!

This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...

"CIA shuts down compilation of facts" feels a little on the nose.
www.cia.gov/stories/stor...

I don't see how Will Lewis can effectively lead WaPo.

Lewis did not save Bezos from himself on opinion pages. (375K+ cancelations) His innovations did not stem enough red ink.

And he has not taken any ownership of the devastating ensuing cuts. He's making Murray own it alone.

Kirkland & Ellis lawyer sought use of Epstein helicopter after securing plea Jay Lefkowitz also invited sex offender to son’s bar mitzvah two years after his prison release, emails say

"A Kirkland & Ellis lawyer who helped Jeffrey Epstein avoid federal child sex crime charges in 2007 later invited him to his son’s bar mitzvah..." WTAF?!

Washington Post Sports Department Was Among Last of Its Kind

NEW: A eulogy for The Post's sports department, which transformed the press box forever and created some of the best sportswriters in America

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/b...

Trump says he will stay out of the Netflix-Paramount battle over WBD, a reversal from his December statement that he would be involved in the approval process (Allie Canal/NBC News)

Main Link | Mediagazer Permalink

I don't see how Will Lewis can effectively lead WaPo.

Lewis did not save Bezos from himself on opinion pages. (375K+ cancelations) His innovations did not stem enough red ink.

And he has not taken any ownership of the devastating ensuing cuts. He's making Murray own it alone.

Sportswriters at WaPo say they spent the last two years seeking guidance for reinvention from top editors, but never saw leaders support visionary ideas (Bryan Curtis/The Ringer)

Main Link | Mediagazer Permalink

Friends:

I'll join NPR's Morning Edition at 7.45 PT/ 10.45 ET to talk about the profound cuts at the Washington Post:

Tune in stream kcrw.org, scpr.org or any other fine NPR west coast station

My story:
Bezos orders layoffs at 'Washington Post'

www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...

'Washington Post' journalists plea to Bezos: Don't gut our newsroom Members of the newspaper's union say they have been warned the company could cut as many as 300 jobs, although no announcement has been made.

On cusp of widespread layoffs, 'Washington Post' staffers to Bezos: don't gut our newsroom

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2026/01/30/n...

We did

Don Lemon arrested by federal authorities in LA over covering the anti-ICE protest at a Minneapolis church

I'll join Morning Edition live at 6.45a PT/7.45a MT

Tune in!

Kari Lake promotes Trump on Voice of America. Does that break the law? Critics say U.S. Agency for Global Media's Kari Lake risks making Voice of America sound like a propaganda outlet in her remarks on the air praising President Trump.

Kari Lake promotes Trump on Voice of America. Does that break the law?

My story:

www.npr.org/2026/01/30/n...

Conservative news outlets start to break from government's narrative on ICE incidents Conservative news outlets and commentators have been, until now, resolutely defending the use of lethal force by ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis and elsewhere. That's starting to change.

Conservative news outlets start to break from government's narrative on ICE incidents

My chat w ⁦‪Michel Martin‬⁩ from Morning Edition

www.npr.org/2026/01/27/n...

Note: While Weiss plans cuts at CBS, she does not intend to announce them at staff meeting. I've updated my story.

After rocky start, Bari Weiss to cut staff, add commentators at CBS News CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss came in with a mandate to reshape coverage. She is set to announce plans for newsroom cuts and the hiring of many new commentators.

NEWS: After a rocky start, Bari Weiss plans to announce staff cuts and the addition of a lot of new paid commentators at CBS News.

My story on Weiss's efforts to remake CBS News

www.npr.org/2026/01/27/n...

How President Trump has challenged a constitutional foundation In his first year back in the White House, President Trump has presided over a sweeping expansion of executive power while eroding democratic norms.

NPR: How Trump has challenged a constitutional foundation

www.npr.org/2026/01/23/g...

I think it is more common than you think.... (as a former higher ed reporter)