Spectacle Over Substance
The White House's war on legacy media is changing who gets access across the government
DC Draino’s Rogan O'Handley, LibsofTiktok’s Chaya Raichik, and podcaster Liz Wheeler were among the right-wing influencers handpicked by the White House to receive binders of already disclosed Epstein documents.
When in doubt, a weighted blanket is basically bedroom Xanax, helping you block out the outside world. After this week, though, you’d need roughly 74 tons of reinforced fabric to calm the collective anxiety produced by Friday’s White House meeting between Pres. Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky. And it would take an extra 37 tons to reduce the cynicism of Trump’s statement that his berating of Zelensky was “going to be great television.”
But while that cringe-worthy White House moment has dominated the media recently (including “Saturday Night Live”), there have been plenty of other instances of shock and awe in the last week. Rather than digging into just one, here are three that JMM thinks mattered—and even one of them is kinda positive!
Free Speech Rollercoaster
The Trump Administration is continuing its push to turn media backbenchers into full-time starters—with mixed results.
Last Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi met with 15 handpicked right-wing influencers to reveal what had been touted as “The Epstein Files: Phase 1.” Each was given a white binder full of documents that were supposed to reveal gobs of new information about Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced billionaire and sexual predatory who died mysteriously in jail in 2019. Instead, the heavily redacted pages had already been public for years, something some of the influencers, including podcaster Liz Wheeler, quickly complained about to their followers. The whole thing became a media fiasco that resulted in Bondi having to swiftly place blame on unnamed New York FBI agents for supposedly withholding documents from her.
The next day, in selecting media outlets to cover that Zelensky White House meeting, staff allowed a reporter for the Russian state-owned news agency TASS into the Oval Office. At check-in, reporters from outlets like the Associated Press and Reuters were turned away by press officials while the TASS reporter—essentially a propaganda writer for Russia—was waved through. When others in the press complained, the TASS reporter was eventually removed.
This all is a result of the White House’s ongoing fight with the AP. Pres. Trump barred the AP from attending press events at the White House, Mar-A-Lago, and on Air Force One in a spat over the news agency’s refusal to change its style guidance on the Gulf of Mexico to align with Trump’s executive order renaming it the “Gulf of America.” AP sued over the slight, saying it violated the organization’s First Amendment rights. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden issued an early ruling in the case that said the AP had not demonstrate it had suffered irreparable harm from its ousting, forcing the AP to peak through the White House’s windows until the suit goes to trial March 20. The Trump Administration then took that victory and, on Tuesday, announced that from now on it would hand-select media outlets allowed into press events.
All of this fits in with the administration’s war on the media, punishing those Republicans see as having a liberal bias. Within days of taking office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth bumped eight news outlets that had been critical of the president, including the New York Times, NBC News, and CNN, from their offices at the Pentagon. He replaced them with seven conservative outlets like One America News Network, Breitbart News, and Newsmax. The only outlier was Huffpost, which had just laid off 20 percent of its newsroom and, as a result, has had to limit its coverage.
At the same time Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr opened investigations into NPR and PBS, alleging they’ve been violating the terms of their broadcasting licenses. Carr claimed that the 1,500 public radio and television stations were essentially selling commercials instead of merely listing corporate donors to the stations. It could result in every public media outlet in the country losing its broadcasting license.
Of course, if Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) have their way, those same stations would also lose their federal funding. The two have introduced the “No Propaganda Act” in both chambers of Congress. The bill would strip funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the parent organization for both NPR and PBS, which Perry says have “actively pushed Chinese propaganda and have prioritized disinformation over free speech.” While the move wouldn’t shut down all public media, it would result in limited access, particularly in rural areas.
Carr also decided to reopen “news distortion” cases against ABC, CBS, and NBC, all of which had been dismissed by the previous FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. The CBS case focuses on the same “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice Pres. Kamala Harris that Pres. Trump is suing the network over, claiming that the editing of her answer to a question on the Israeli-Hamas conflict amounted to consumer fraud under a Texas law. The ABC case alleges that the network showed favoritism to Harris because she wasn’t fact checked as much as Trump during their Sept. 24, 2024, debate. Finally, the NBC case claims that the network violated the “equal time” rule because Harris appeared for 90 seconds during a “Saturday Night Live” sketch Nov. 2, 2024, and Trump did not. JMM isn’t sure how that last one counts as news distortion—which Rosenworcel agreed with in dismissing that complaint and the others. Carr is now taking a deeper at all of them.
Of course, in one of those moments where past statements can come back to haunt you, a 2021 press release from when Carr was serving as an FCC commissioner has resurfaced. It was a statement he released after the House Energy and Commerce Committee began investigating misinformation. He decried a letter sent by Representatives Anna G. Eshoo and Jerry McNerney, both Democrats from California, to cable provides asking what they had done to block the spread of misinformation in the run-up to the 2020 election. Carr saw such tactics as reprehensible.
“By writing letters… the Democrats are sending a message that is as clear as it is troubling—these regulated entities will pay a price if the targeted newsrooms do not conform to Democrats’ preferred political narratives,” he said in the press release. “This is a chilling transgression of the free speech rights that every media outlet in this country enjoys.”
But then he doubled down, saying, “A newsroom’s decision about what stories to cover and how to frame them should be beyond the reach of any government official, not targeted by them.”
JMM wholly agrees with that statement. It seems Carr and the rest of the Trump Administration do not.
Daddy Dearest
Plenty has already been written about Jeff Bezos’ decree last week that he and The Washington Post would be donning a couple’s costume for the foreseeable future, Bezos forcing the paper to wear his newly acquired America First ideology in public despite it being tacky.
"We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets," Bezos wrote on X. "Viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others."
And while the government’s self-proclaimed Geek Squad guru Elon Musk praised the change, there’s been plenty of blowback both from staff—Opinion Editor David Shipley quickly exited over the change—and the media as a whole. Nothing beat the Post’s own Dana Milback, though, who wrote a blistering opinion piece about the real threat to those pillars Bezos holds so dear.
“If we as a newspaper, and we as a country, are to defend Bezos’s twin pillars, then we must redouble our fight against the single greatest threat to ‘personal liberties and free markets’ in the United States today: President Donald Trump,” Milback wrote.
If Bezos’ announcement was a capitulation to Trump in line with other recent moves by tech and media leaders, then the newsroom ignored the assignment. Democracy dies in darkness indeed.
Finally, Some Good News
The Podcast Apocalypse seems to be officially over—mostly. Two years ago, podcasting was reeling from the ad world’s post-pandemic hangover. While the Interactive Advertising Bureau claimed podcast revenue still increased in 2023, it was slow. Brands pulled back on spending, particularly in the podcasting space (RIP all those Purple mattress ads). Shows closed, including arguably one of the best podcasts ever produced, journalist Jonathon Goldstein’s “Heavyweight.” Longtime podcast host PJ Voyt wrote about the struggles of his show “Search Engine” during the downturn and has been candid about his search for a new business model in hopes of staying independent.
But now podcasts are surging again, both in power and popularity. There’s just been a shift. YouTube is now the dominant podcast platform. According to an official YouTube blog post, the video platform now sees 1 billion active monthly podcast viewers. In 2024, viewers (and listeners) consumed over 400 million hours of podcasts on TVs alone. That doesn’t even factor in phones, desktops, or tablets. Combined, YouTube counts for 31 percent of the weekly podcast consumption, four points ahead of Spotify and double Apple’s share. And while plenty of the credit for that goes to Joe Rogan and the Kelce brothers, a slew of smaller shows, including JMM favorites “The Move” and “Smosh Reading Reddit Stories,” also power those ridiculous numbers.
The resurgence has even been big enough to pull “Heavyweight” back from the grave. Goldstein and his crew are joining Malcom Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries, home of other prestige podcasts like Gladwell’s “Revisionist History,” Michael Lewis’ “Against the Rules,” and Rick Rubin’s “Broken Record.” (JMM suggests you try Puskin’s “Hot Money,” which in its two seasons has tracked the flow of money in the porn industry and of drug cartels.)
Revising “Heavyweight” is an interesting bet on Pushkin’s part. For anyone in journalism, the problem “Heavyweight” and its ilk face is familiar. It requires a lot of on-the-ground reporting, which costs a lot of money. Part of the reason podcasts have thrived on YouTube is because it’s perfect for the cheap-to-produce chat cast. Producing three hours of “Call Her Daddy” costs infinitely less than three hours of the travel-heavy, personally reported “Heavyweight” or any of the other documentary style podcasts in Pushkin’s stable. Plus, those YouTube chat casts can pull in ad revenue from not only podcast sponsors, but YouTube spots as well. Audio-only podcasts don’t get to double dip like that—well, unless you’re like “Smartless” and you just post your podcast to YouTube with a static screen, which plenty do.
And while shows like “Heavyweight” were in vogue when it debuted in 2016, docu-casts like “S-Town,” “99% Invisible,” and “StartUp” riding the “Serial” wave, these days people seem happy to settle into a chat with folks they feel are friends. Narrative journalism (sadly) isn’t trending. So, Pushkin’s choice to bring on “Heavyweight” seems like a brave one, meaning you should celebrate its return this fall while you can. Because if enough people don’t engage with the good stuff, it goes away. And then all we’ll be left with is an endless number of murder podcasts and a possibly resurgent Andrew Tate—which we all should have realized is a square on 2025’s Hellscape of a bingo card, one that is filling up faster than most of us thought possible.
Internships, Fellowships, and More
• Minions home Illumination is looking for multiple summer interns including a creative marketing and graphic design positions. The internships are designed for rising seniors. The gigs last eight weeks. The hybrid jobs do require you to be in the Santa Monica office several days a week. Pay is $17.28 an hour. Get the rundown here.
• PR firm FleishmannHillard is looking for someone to fill a six-month hybrid internship in its Minneapolis office. You’ll work on brand/corporate positioning, media relations, social media, influencer marketing, content creation, and more. The full-time gig runs from June 25-Jan. 16, 2026. Pay is $18-$20 per hour. The deadline to apply is March 15. Get more info here.
• The News Literacy Project needs a summer communications intern. The remote position’s requirements include being a “news junkie.” You’ll help conceptualize, develop and target campaigns, among other duties. You’ll work 25 hours week starting as early as May 12. Pay is $15-$17 an hour. The deadline to apply is March 24. Get all the details here.
• Slate needs a summer intern for its Advice section. Besides freely giving your opinion on things that aren’t really your business, you’ll support Slate’s flagship columns—Dear Prudence, Care and Feeding, Pay Dirt, How to Do It, and Good Job. The gig can be either based at Slate’s Brooklyn office or remote. It pays either minimum wage in your location or $16 an hour, whichever is greater. You’ll work full-time for 90 days starting in June. The deadline to apply is March 20. Get more info here.
• Apple Valley, Minnesota, needs a Video Content Creator intern for the summer. You’ll be creating social media videos for Apple Valley, Farmington, and Rosemount cities during this full-time internship. Editing software and graphics experience is also necessary. Pay range is a very specific $19.15-$21.70 per hour. The internship lasts 12 weeks with a flexible start date. Get more info and apply here.
• The ad agency WorkInProgress is looking for summer Art and Copywriter interns. They’re the best paying internships JMM has ever seen. The gigs pay $50—yes, $50—an hour. You’ll work June-August, 40 hours a week, on actual campaigns for Domino’s, Sling TV, and more. The position is hybrid, requiring you to be in WIP’s Boulder, Colorado, offices every Tuesday and Thursday. Bonus: The job descriptions are actually really funny. Get all the info here.
• Texas Highways magazine is hiring a summer editorial intern. The Lone Star State’s official travel magazine, the award-winning pub covers everything Texas offers up. You’ll be a part of that, handing everything from fact-checking to social content creation. The gig is based in Austin. Pay is $18 an hour, and you’ll work a full 40-hour week. To be eligible you need to have over 60 college credits completed and working toward a degree in journalism, creative writing, or a related field. The deadline to apply is March 15. Get the full rundown here.
• Iowa PBS wants a summer Production Editorial Intern. You’ll work with producers and videographers to help create some of Iowa PBS’s original content. You’ll work on ongoing series “Iowa Life” and “Road Trip Iowa,” as well as some incredible special projects. Pay is $14 an hour. There will be some nights and weekends involved, and even occasional travel for work. Apply by March 6. Get the details here.
• Her Campus is back, this time looking for a summer New & Politics Intern. You’ll be writing and editing timely news articles, working on larger editorial projects and packages, interviewing talent and expert sources, and more. You must be an undergrad and able to receive credit for the experience. The position is remote. Click here for more info.
• Travel-focused integrated marketing firm MMGY Global is looking for a summer social media intern with serious wanderlust. Over your 10 weeks with the company, you’ll help strategize and execute social media campaigns across various platforms with an emphasis on TikTok and Reels. Pay is $14 an hour. You’ll work 32 hours a week. The position is in-person, so you’ll have to spend your summer in Overland Park, Kansas, just outside of Paul Rudd’s hometown, Kansas City. Get more info and apply here.
• Ad agency Fallon’s career page says it is looking for a few new weirdos. In this case, they mean summer interns. The ad agency is looking for an undisclosed number of “the most hustling, talented individuals” to work June 2-Aug. 8 at the company’s Minneapolis or New York offices. The preference is on candidates who could be hired when the internship is over, meaning recent college grads get first stab at positions. Pay is $20. The deadline to apply is March 7. You can get more info from this LinkedIn post, or apply on the company’s career page.
• Science needs a News Writer intern. The full-time six-month position comes with pay ($19.50 an hour) and benefits. It runs July through December. Hybrid, based out of the brand’s Washington, D.C., office, is preferred, but fully remote candidates will be considered. Click here for more info.
• The American Prospect is looking for summer editorial interns that can create narrative interpretations of complex issues. Summer interns can be remote, hybrid, or based in Washington D.C. and work May through August. Full and part-time positions are available. Pay is $17.50. Deadline to apply is March 17. Get more info here.
• The Conversation US wants a summer editorial intern to help edit local news stories written by academics targeted at either Detroit or Philadelphia—very specific. Preference will be given to those with ties to the area. The full-time gig pays $15 an hour. The position is remote but with the option to work in-person in Boston or New York. Deadline to apply is March 7. For more info or to apply, click here.
• For even more internships and full-time gigs, check out MEO’s internship post on LinkedIn, which features 150 positions.
Got a Whopper?
Do you have some essential info or did you get promoted to Executive Director, Commercial Card Product Strategy & Transformation, at JPMorganChase like Lizzie Pine (News, MRKT, ’11)? If so, then let JMM know by sending that juicy news on over to jeff.inman@drake.edu. JMM will treat it like this announcement from Amy Schmelzer (Radio/TV, ’96) that she’ll be the Acting Head of News & Documentary Emmys at The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and tell everyone about it.
Finally, bunnies be angry.