Inbox: New York Attorney General Letitia James filed an amicus brief today in support the NYT lawsuit against the Pentagon over press access
January 15, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Inbox: New York Attorney General Letitia James filed an amicus brief today in support the NYT lawsuit against the Pentagon over press access
Gavin Newsom has been in touch with the California attorney general's office about this topic, I'm told. CA AG just announced that it was opening an investigation into the "proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material produced using Grok."
January 14, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Gavin Newsom has been in touch with the California attorney general's office about this topic, I'm told. CA AG just announced that it was opening an investigation into the "proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material produced using Grok."
New: 3% of Politico staff will be laid off today, including fewer than 10 people in the newsroom, I’m told.
Notably, Politico is also planning to announce a new subscription business aimed at finance/investment professionals.
Notably, Politico is also planning to announce a new subscription business aimed at finance/investment professionals.
January 13, 2026 at 2:54 PM
New: 3% of Politico staff will be laid off today, including fewer than 10 people in the newsroom, I’m told.
Notably, Politico is also planning to announce a new subscription business aimed at finance/investment professionals.
Notably, Politico is also planning to announce a new subscription business aimed at finance/investment professionals.
First in @semafor.com: NYT, WaPo learned of the secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin but held off publishing what they had at the administration's request to avoid endangering US troops www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid
The American news organizations held their stories over concerns about endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:03 AM
First in @semafor.com: NYT, WaPo learned of the secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin but held off publishing what they had at the administration's request to avoid endangering US troops www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
The Washington Post editorial board comes out in favor of the Venezuela attack/operation to capture Maduro
January 3, 2026 at 4:01 PM
The Washington Post editorial board comes out in favor of the Venezuela attack/operation to capture Maduro
CBS News EIC Bari Weiss had concerns about the CECOT piece, I’m told. The network decided to hold the segment pending, among other things, comment or an interview with White House officials next year…
December 22, 2025 at 2:22 AM
CBS News EIC Bari Weiss had concerns about the CECOT piece, I’m told. The network decided to hold the segment pending, among other things, comment or an interview with White House officials next year…
NYT statement to me: "David Brooks regularly attends events to speak with noted and important business leaders to inform his columns, which is exactly what happened at this 2011 event. Mr. Brooks had no contact with him before or after this single attendance at a widely-attended dinner."
December 18, 2025 at 5:46 PM
NYT statement to me: "David Brooks regularly attends events to speak with noted and important business leaders to inform his columns, which is exactly what happened at this 2011 event. Mr. Brooks had no contact with him before or after this single attendance at a widely-attended dinner."
A month ago, NYT columnist David Brooks wrote a column decrying the media and political fixation on the Epstein story.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
December 18, 2025 at 5:46 PM
A month ago, NYT columnist David Brooks wrote a column decrying the media and political fixation on the Epstein story.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
New: When the Washington Post ran tests on its AI personalized podcasts, the paper found that between 68% and 84% (!!) of the pods had potential issues.
Still, the paper decided to release the product anyway, saying it would “iterate through the remaining issues”
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
Still, the paper decided to release the product anyway, saying it would “iterate through the remaining issues”
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
December 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
New: When the Washington Post ran tests on its AI personalized podcasts, the paper found that between 68% and 84% (!!) of the pods had potential issues.
Still, the paper decided to release the product anyway, saying it would “iterate through the remaining issues”
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
Still, the paper decided to release the product anyway, saying it would “iterate through the remaining issues”
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
New: WaPo staff are fuming about the new AI personalized pods, noting they have errors like misattributing/inventing quotes, inserting commentary.
WaPo's standards editor privately called the mistakes "frustrating," another editor said "if we were serious we would pull this tool immediately."
WaPo's standards editor privately called the mistakes "frustrating," another editor said "if we were serious we would pull this tool immediately."
December 11, 2025 at 10:27 PM
New: WaPo staff are fuming about the new AI personalized pods, noting they have errors like misattributing/inventing quotes, inserting commentary.
WaPo's standards editor privately called the mistakes "frustrating," another editor said "if we were serious we would pull this tool immediately."
WaPo's standards editor privately called the mistakes "frustrating," another editor said "if we were serious we would pull this tool immediately."
American Canto sold 1165 physical copies in its first week, per bookscan.
December 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
American Canto sold 1165 physical copies in its first week, per bookscan.
New: Democratic lawmakers warned WBD in a letter that their party may try to block or unravel any acquisition of WBD by Paramount, citing nat sec concerns around financing...
🟡 NEW: As the battle over Warner Bros. Discovery grows, two Democratic lawmakers are warning that their party may try to block or unravel any acquisition by Paramount when it returns to power.
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
Democrats warn their party may try to unravel any Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal
A new letter from Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) also raised concerns about foreign investors’ involvement.
www.semafor.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:35 PM
New: Democratic lawmakers warned WBD in a letter that their party may try to block or unravel any acquisition of WBD by Paramount, citing nat sec concerns around financing...
The Washington Post is launching a personalized AI podcast, saying users will be able to "shape their own briefing, select their topics, set their lengths, pick their hosts and soon even ask questions using our Ask The Post AI technology."
December 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The Washington Post is launching a personalized AI podcast, saying users will be able to "shape their own briefing, select their topics, set their lengths, pick their hosts and soon even ask questions using our Ask The Post AI technology."
Amazing tidbit: I'm told that Politico is putting Donald Trump at the top of its upcoming annual Most Influential People in Europe list. Trump participated in an interview for the series with Politico's Dasha Burns…
December 8, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Amazing tidbit: I'm told that Politico is putting Donald Trump at the top of its upcoming annual Most Influential People in Europe list. Trump participated in an interview for the series with Politico's Dasha Burns…
New: The Chicago Tribune is suing Perplexity alleging the AI company has been “unlawfully profiting off of the newspaper's content in building its AI-driven search engine.”
December 5, 2025 at 12:30 AM
New: The Chicago Tribune is suing Perplexity alleging the AI company has been “unlawfully profiting off of the newspaper's content in building its AI-driven search engine.”
In a note to staff, Business Insider EIC Jamie Heller says the publication is launching a pilot program called Business Insider AI News Desk that will use AI to “help publish quick news stories.”
Several stories a day will now be “created by AI and edited by a person.”
Several stories a day will now be “created by AI and edited by a person.”
December 4, 2025 at 5:24 PM
In a note to staff, Business Insider EIC Jamie Heller says the publication is launching a pilot program called Business Insider AI News Desk that will use AI to “help publish quick news stories.”
Several stories a day will now be “created by AI and edited by a person.”
Several stories a day will now be “created by AI and edited by a person.”
New in tonight's @semafor.com media newsletter: Trump is using his new connections at Paramount for an important cause: Lobbying Larry Ellison to revive the Rush Hour franchise www.semafor.com/article/11/2...
Exclusive: How Trump is trying to remake American culture — starting with his favorite buddy-cop franchise
The president is offering some creative input on potential upcoming projects.
www.semafor.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
New in tonight's @semafor.com media newsletter: Trump is using his new connections at Paramount for an important cause: Lobbying Larry Ellison to revive the Rush Hour franchise www.semafor.com/article/11/2...
Per a note to staff, Business Insider is joining Microsoft’s publisher content marketplace program. BI CEO Barbara Peng says the program will “compensate publishers when our trusted journalism is used in its Al-generated results.”
November 21, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Per a note to staff, Business Insider is joining Microsoft’s publisher content marketplace program. BI CEO Barbara Peng says the program will “compensate publishers when our trusted journalism is used in its Al-generated results.”
Some internal tension on the White House Correspondents Association email listserv today. Some journalists are complaining that background info circulated to the group by a reporter working for Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya did not mention the murder of Jamal Khashoggi...
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Some internal tension on the White House Correspondents Association email listserv today. Some journalists are complaining that background info circulated to the group by a reporter working for Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya did not mention the murder of Jamal Khashoggi...
My piece for @semafor.com on the launch of MS Now. The strategy, so far:
- New pods
- YouTube explainers, “simulcasting" on YT
- Live MS Now events across the country
- Paid subscription products
- An expanded role for Pablo Torre
- Collaboration, potential deal w/Crooked Media
- New pods
- YouTube explainers, “simulcasting" on YT
- Live MS Now events across the country
- Paid subscription products
- An expanded role for Pablo Torre
- Collaboration, potential deal w/Crooked Media
November 17, 2025 at 9:43 PM
My piece for @semafor.com on the launch of MS Now. The strategy, so far:
- New pods
- YouTube explainers, “simulcasting" on YT
- Live MS Now events across the country
- Paid subscription products
- An expanded role for Pablo Torre
- Collaboration, potential deal w/Crooked Media
- New pods
- YouTube explainers, “simulcasting" on YT
- Live MS Now events across the country
- Paid subscription products
- An expanded role for Pablo Torre
- Collaboration, potential deal w/Crooked Media
From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: @vox.com is joining Patreon www.semafor.com/article/11/1...
Exclusive: Vox to partner with Patreon for new paywalled shows
Vox said it hopes to supplement its shows with live newsroom conversations and community features such as chats.
www.semafor.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:29 PM
From last night's @semafor.com media newsletter: @vox.com is joining Patreon www.semafor.com/article/11/1...
Yahoo Finance is launching a prediction markets hub with Polymarket to “help investors better follow prediction markets and the forces shaping them.”
November 13, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Yahoo Finance is launching a prediction markets hub with Polymarket to “help investors better follow prediction markets and the forces shaping them.”
NY AG Tish James is expected to speak at union protest later today outside Conde Nast HQ. Union members are protesting the firing of four staffers last week.
November 12, 2025 at 5:29 PM
NY AG Tish James is expected to speak at union protest later today outside Conde Nast HQ. Union members are protesting the firing of four staffers last week.