Benjamin Netanyahu moves to ban Al Jazeera's operations in Israel, Disney investors vote as battle between the board and Nelson Peltz comes to a head, Fox News avoids an inconvenient fact as it blasts the White House for recognizing Trans Day of Visibility, Godzilla and King Kong roar at the box office, and so much more. But first, the A1. |
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CNN Photo Illustration/Biden for President |
During his trip to New York City last week, President Joe Biden sat down for a rare joint interview alongside former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
But the interview, which received significant attention, was not with a national news organization. Neither was it with a local newspaper or outlet. It was with the comedy podcast, "Smartless," hosted by the actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett.
The decision to speak with the Hollywood trio, while jilting the traditional press in the process, is emblematic of Biden's media strategy as he faces a high-stakes reelection with democracy itself on the line. While a caricature has been painted of the president holed up in the White House dodging the media spotlight, he is actually participating in a fair share of interviews — just not with the Beltway press.
In fact, Biden has engaged in a number of interviews this year, particularly with the Black and Hispanic press. Facing sagging poll numbers with Black Americans, Biden has granted at least 10 interviews with media outlets reaching the community this year, most of them with local radio stations during the drive time hours. Biden has also participated in two interviews with Hispanic radio outlets in 2024 and is set to sit down with Univision's Enrique Acevedo this week, Adrian Carrasquillo reported Monday for Vanity Fair.
"People in D.C. and New York may not always see it," Michael Tyler, the Biden campaign communications director, told me by phone. "But you know who is seeing it? The voters we are trying to reach."
Tyler said that the Biden campaign is prioritizing interviews with outlets reaching specific constituency groups, believing that focusing on local media will pay off in November. Tyler, who pushed back against the notion that Biden is avoiding the traditional press, said that putting their energy into outlets with targeted reach is one component of a savvy communications strategy. The campaign argues that it adds up to media playbook that is inclusive of new media entities and other platforms with broad reach.
"Our North Star as a campaign is to make sure the president is to be in direct communication with the voters who will decide the pathway to the 270 electoral votes," Tyler explained.
But as Biden pays more attention to new and non-traditional forms of media, he has shown more reluctance than his predecessors to grant one-on-one sit-down interviews with the national press, participating in fewer interviews than other presidents at this point in his presidency. Most recently, Biden opted to skip the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview for the second consecutive year, raising questions about his decision to not speak to the country's largest assembled audience.
"Number of times Jason Bateman has done a sit-down interview with President Biden: 2. Nearly every print reporter who covers the White House: 0," Jennifer Haberkorn, a White House reporter for POLITICO, noted on X after Biden's "Smartless" interview.
Some of Biden's hesitation to speak with the traditional news media likely stems from his frustration with how members of the press have covered him and his campaign. The Biden White House and campaign have sharply criticized how the press has covered everything from Special Counsel Robert Hur's report to the president's age, devoting what they believe to be a disproportionate amount of coverage to the issues even as Donald Trump rages against the country's institutions and pushes poisonous election lies. But it goes without saying that interviews with the national news media are where Biden will face the toughest line of questioning on the 2024 campaign, domestic policy, and foreign affairs, with a level of scrutiny and accountability typically found mostly in the D.C. press which specializes in such matters. By bypassing the Beltway press and prioritizing other forms of media, Biden has been able to remain in contact with voters, while allowing the president to avoid being repeatedly pressed on uncomfortable topics such as his age. "These interviews we are able to do focus far more on the substance and the stakes that matter to voters than they do to folks in the beltway and New York," Tyler said.
Biden is by no means a pioneer of the bypass-the-Beltway strategy. Obama famously spoke to Zach Galifianakis for the "Between Two Ferns" show and Trump endlessly raged on social media to his millions of followers. That said, as the 2024 campaign reaches a crescendo, and Biden yearns to reach the largest audiences possible, participating in these targeted interviews will not be enough. Biden will likely need to sit for interviews on programs with broader reach. The strategy of bypassing the Beltway can only last for so long. |
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CNN Photo Illustration/Al Jazeera |
Axing Al Jazeera: The press is not so free in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wielding new powers granted to him by Israeli lawmakers, said on Monday that he intends to shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country, referring to the Qatari-funded outlet as a "terrorist channel." Tension between Israel and Al Jazeera has been simmering for months, but the move by Netanyahu escalates the contentious relationship between the right-wing government and outlet to a new level. In a statement, Al Jazeera condemned Netanyahu, accusing him of advancing "dangerous ludicrous lies" about the network and saying "slanderous accusations will not deter" it from continuing its coverage. Netanyahu's declaration that he wants to prohibit Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Israel immediately generated alarm, with the White House decrying the move as "concerning" and free press advocates denouncing the efforts to ban the outlet. The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement it is "deeply concerned" by the development and expressed alarm at the legislation that grants Netanyahu the authority to censor the outlet: "The law grants the government the power to close any foreign media outlets operating in Israel, posing a significant threat to international media within the country. This contributes to a climate of self-censorship and hostility toward the press, a trend that has escalated since the Israel-Gaza war began." ► Related: Sharon Waxman writes about the trends in news media that "changed perceptions of Israel." |
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CNN Photo Illustration/Getty Images/Reuters |
Battle for the Magic Kingdom: Investors have until Tuesday at midnight to cast their votes in the bitter battle between Nelson Peltz's Trian Partners and the Bob Iger-supporting Disney board. And, so far, it's apparently looking good for Disney. The WSJ's Lauren Thomas and Robbie Whelan reported Monday night that the board "has pulled ahead" in the proxy battle, with major shareholder BlackRock backing the Magic Kingdom as it tries to fend off Peltz's offensive. That said, investors still have another full day to cast their votes ahead of the shareholder meeting on Wednesday, so anything can still happen. Thomas and Whelan have more. ► Meanwhile: "Disney's efforts to boost diversity are under attack ahead of a key shareholder vote to elect its board that will shape the direction of the company," THR's Winston Cho reported Monday. |
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- Yikes! Shares in Truth Social plunged more than 21% on Monday after the Donald Trump-controlled company disclosed it lost more than $58 million in 2023. The plummeting stock value sent Trump's own wealth falling more than $1 billion. (CNN)
- Steven Newhouse and Steve Miron have resigned from the Warner Bros. Discovery board after the Justice Department announced an antitrust investigation. (WSJ)
- Formula One owner Liberty Media, which is led by John Malone, will acquire MotoGP. (The Guardian)
- Paramount streaming boss Tom Ryan spoke to Todd Spangler about Pluto TV's 10th anniversary and Paramount+. (Variety)
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- Authentic Brands Group, the owner of Sports Illustrated, has slapped Manoj Bhargava and The Arena Group — which briefly published the magazine — with a $48.75-million lawsuit. (NYT)
- "Vice was once promised to become the brash young voice of news," Elizabeth Lopatto reports. "But wild expenses, shady deals, and greed turned it into 'a f***ing clown show.'" (The Verge)
- If you were to describe The NYT based on where consumers spend most of their time with the company, you would now have to describe it as a gaming company. A chart that was included in a recent SEC filing shows more people are now interacting with its games than news. (Kotaku)
- Max Tani writes about the importance of the Apple Podcasts feed: "At a moment when the volume of podcasts has made it difficult for some shows to promote themselves, Apple's top banner is one of the key promotional vehicles that many striving podcasters obsess over." (Semafor)
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- The NYT hired Miguel Gonzalez as a politics editor and welcomed Molly Mirhashem as a senior staff editor for fitness. (NYT/NYT)
- Barron's hired Ian Salisbury as a senior investing writer. (TBN)
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CNN Photo Illustration/Fox News |
First in Reliable | Fox Fails to Fess: If you turned on Fox News in the last 24 hours, odds are high that you would have seen the right-wing network assail President Joe Biden for having the audacity to declare March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility. It's nothing unusual, but this year it fell on Easter Sunday and a number of dishonest right-wing commentators have used the occasion to bash Biden, accusing him of effectively trampling on Christian values. Strangely, though, Fox News is failing to disclose to viewers that Fox Corporation — at least the FOX Entertainment wing of the Rupert Murdoch-controlled company — has a history of celebrating the holiday, posting on X three years ago as much. And, the company has a history boasting about how it is supposedly one of the best LGBTQ workplaces in America.
When Fox News asked the White House for comment, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates actually provided the network a statement highlighting the company's own history marking the holiday. "We're grateful that FOX itself agrees with President Biden about recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility, having previously tweeted, 'Trans Day of Visibility is dedicated to celebrating transgender people...To all the transgender men, women and non-binary folx, we see you and stand with you,'" Bates said. "We also take note that FOX Corporation's 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report underlined the importance of 'cultivat[ing] community among FOX's LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies, support[ing] causes important to the LGBTQ+ community and foster[ing] a work environment where all colleagues feel 100% authentic and professionally supported.'" That part of the statement never made it into Fox's coverage. It doesn't take a brilliant mind to do the math on why that is, but it does provide yet another example of how duplicitous the network can be. |
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- J.K. Rowling once again mocked trans people and dared Scotland to enforce its new hate law crime against her: "I look forward to being arrested." (Deadline)
- Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk declared, "We need to have a Nuremberg-style trial for every gender-affirming clinic doctor." (MMFA)
- Not an April Fools' joke! Fox Corporation is hiring a disinformation specialist. (Intercept)
- Ronna McDaniel "has little hope for a media career after her spectacular flameout from NBC News," Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone report. (Mediaite)
- Paul Farhi on X: " It's now been almost a week since the uprising at [MSNBC] about the hiring of former RNC head Ronna McDaniel. She was fired about a day later. Has anyone else lost his/her job over this? Or is it all down the memory hole now?"
- Standing in contrast to some confused outlets, Cleveland Plain Dealer Editor-In-Chief Chris Quinn penned a clear-eyed assessment of how news outlets ought to cover this political moment: "There aren't two sides to facts." (Plain Dealer)
- All Seasons Press, the conservative book publisher, has a secret, reports Will Sommer: It had ties to George Soros! (WaPo)
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CNN Photo Illustration/Apple |
Apple's Sports Sell: On Monday afternoon, I found myself at Apple's Tribeca showroom once again demo'ing Vision Pro. But this time, the company invited me over to its digs to showcase how its $3,500 headset works as a purely entertainment device that offers compelling features for sports fans. As part of the demo, I was shown how the NBA's app, which was built specifically for Vision Pro, offers users the ability to monitor multiple games and sports scores all at once (see above). This was quite a neat viewing setup and I can imagine if I were an NBA fan who owned Vision Pro, I might use the headset to keep track of the various games. The company also played for me a short video showcasing how Apple Immersive Video will be able to transport users directly inside arenas and fields, putting them at the very center of the action. The immersive demo was compelling and it is easy to see how Apple might one day be able to really sell this type of viewing experience to fans of various sports, especially the NFL. The problem, however, is that right now — in 2024 — those who want to experience sports via Apple Immersive Video are limited to the short video demo (which is now available online for all Vision Pro owners to check out), given Apple needs to work on the logistics of not only shooting games in its groundbreaking format, but also streaming it live to viewers at home. Like with so much of the Vision Pro, it's easy to see how the pricey device represents the future. It just feels like its most compelling features are slightly out of reach. |
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- Reddit's stock sunk again on Monday, dropping nearly 7% as the company's shares fall further below its $47 IPO debut. (MarketWatch)
- It's about to get more expensive to shop on TikTok. The embattled company is raising referral fees after having offered users access to too-good-to-be-true deals. (WIRED)
- You no longer need an OpenAI account to use ChatGPT 3.5. Simply navigate to the company's website to use the A.I. bot. (TechCrunch)
- Google will delete user search data to settle a $5 billion privacy lawsuit over its "incognito browsing" mode. (NPR)
- DeepMind boss Demis Hassabis said the large amount of funding being thrown at A.I. "brings with it a whole attendant bunch of hype and maybe some grifting." (Business Insider)
- "Companies racing to develop more powerful artificial intelligence are rapidly nearing a new problem: The internet might be too small for their plans," Deepa Seetharaman writes. (WSJ)
- Happy birthday! Gmail is now 20 years old. (The Verge)
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CNN Photo Illustration/Warner Bros. Pictures |
Godzilla and Kong Smash Box Office: The monsters are roaring! "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" reigned king over the box office this weekend, earning an astounding $80 million at the North American box office. Not only was that enough for the movie to take the No. 1 spot, but it was also far better than the $50-some million the movie had been projected to make. It's also the latest Warner Bros. Pictures-Legendary film to debut at more than $80 million in the span of just a few weeks, with "Dune: Part Two" having done so last month. Variety's Rebecca Rubin has more here. |
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- Beyoncé's upcoming country album, "Cowboy Carter," is boosting streams for Black country artists on Spotify. (THR)
- Lizzo said she's "quitting," explaining she's fed up with being subjected to attacks — though it remains unclear whether the musician is leaving the music industry or social media. (The Cut)
- Shakira told Patricia Alfonso Tortolani that her sons "hated" Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" because they "felt it was too emasculating." The singer added, "And I agree, to a certain extent." (Allure)
- Sam Raimi poured some cold water on the notion he could team up again with Tobey Maquire for a fourth entry into the old "Spider-Man" universe. (Deadline)
- "Road House" marked the largest-ever opening for a movie produced by Amazon MGM Studios, pulling in 50 million viewers during the movie's first two weekends. (The Wrap)
- "Studios are increasingly mining videogames for characters and stories to bring to life in TV shows and films, particularly as audiences grow tired of story lines based on comic books," Sarah Krouse and Sarah E. Needleman write. (WSJ)
- Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman are set to star in Searchlight Pictures' "The Roses." (Deadline)
- Linkin Park settled a lawsuit with Kyle Christner, a former bassist for the band, who in November claimed he had contributed to "more than 20 songs" and was not paid for his contributions. (Rolling Stone)
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Thank you for reading! This newsletter was edited by Jon Passantino and produced with the assistance of Liam Reilly. Have feedback? Send us an email. You can follow us on Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn. We will see you back in your inbox tomorrow. |
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