Press Club

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher. They discuss her career as a reporter covering the rise of Silicon Valley and then as a media entrepreneur, the future of the media industry, how to start a media company in today's climate, whether cable news can survive in a post-linear world, her relationship with titans from Rupert Murdoch to Elon Musk, and her new book, "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story." Swisher is the host of On With Kara Swisher, the Pivot Podcast with Scott Galloway, a contributing editor to New York Magazine and a CNN contributor. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Don Lemon, the former CNN host who just launched his new independent venture, The Don Lemon Show, with a dramatic splash. The first episode of his show featured a lengthy interview with billionaire Elon Musk - who was so upset by the tough questions he abruptly canceled his multi-million dollar deal with Lemon to host the show on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Lemon discusses how the deal came to be and how it fell apart, what he thinks of the interview now that it's aired, what's next for his show, returning to CNN months after he was ousted from the network, and the future of the media business. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Mehdi Hasan, the former MSNBC host who just announced the launch of a new digital media company, Zeteo. Hasan left MSNBC after the network canceled his show in the wake of Oct. 7 and Israel's war in Gaza. The cancelation sparked an outcry, and Hasan capitalized on that outrage to leave the network and launch his new outlet, one he promises will speak more truthfully about issues like war and U.S. politics than the traditional media. McLaughlin and Hasan discuss why he left MSNBC, how to start a digital media outlet during the digital media apocalypse, how the press is covering the Israel-Hamas war, Biden's performance as president, and Trump's resilience among the electorate. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin sits down for an in-depth chat with Bill Maher, the host of Real Time on HBO, the podcast Club Random, and author of the upcoming book "What This Comedian Said Will Shock You." McLaughlin and Maher talk, at Maher's Club Random studios in Los Angeles, about the media, the state of the cable news industry, the 2024 race, whether Biden should drop out, the continued appeal of Trump, and the Israel-Hamas war. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with Barak Ravid, an Israeli journalist who covers politics and foreign policy for Axios and serves as a contributor to CNN. They discuss the Israel-Hamas war, the media landscape in Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's crackdown on the press.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with Janice Min, the veteran news editor and executive who now runs The Ankler. They discuss a turbulent year for Hollywood, her career turning around the Hollywood Reporter, the uncertain future of the big trades, and what she's doing with The Ankler.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Marc Lamont Hill, professor, political commentator, and host of Upfront on Al Jazeera, about the war between Israel and Hamas and the media's coverage of it. They also discuss his long history of covering the conflict between Israel and Palestine, whether the media censors pro-Palestinian voices, his own firing from CNN, criticism of Al Jazeera, and Biden's sinking poll numbers.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt about the Jewish civil rights group's work and the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in America. Greenblatt also discussed the media's coverage of the Hamas terror attack on October 7 and Israel's war, the ADL's feud with Elon Musk, President Joe Biden's polling slump, and Greenblatt's controversial statement that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with Brian Stelter, the veteran media reporter and former CNN host out with a new book about Fox News: Network of Lies The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy. He discusses the trove of evidence he drew on for his book from the Dominion defamation suit, what Fox News hosts know but don't say about Trump, the state of the media industry, his own ouster from CNN, and what's next for his career. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin speaks with author and staff writer for The Atlantic McKay Coppins about his bestselling new book "Romney: A Reckoning." They discuss Mitt Romney's life and career - and his shift from being the standard-bearer of the Republican Party when he won its nomination for president in 2012 to a pariah when he was elected to the Senate as one of the few Republicans in Washington who publicly opposed then-president Donald Trump. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates about her new show, walking in Larry King's footsteps, the last two years at CNN, and how she covers difficult stories. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Diana Falzone speaks with Sherif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa Program Director for The Committee to Protect Journalists. Sherif and Diana discuss the work of the CPJ, a non-profit organization that defends press freedom, the toll of the Israel-Hamas war, and its devastating impact on journalists trying to cover it. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with CNN anchor Jake Tapper about the Israel-Hamas war, media coverage of conflict, his reporting on John Kelly's bombshell comments about former President Trump, big changes at CNN, and the 2024 election. In addition to anchoring The Lead on CNN, Tapper is the network's chief Washington correspondent and the best-selling author of six books. His latest, "All The Demons Are Here," is a 1970s fiction thriller that earned rave reviews. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.

Mediaite's Aidan McLaughlin and Diana Falzone speak with Major Garrett, the chief Washington correspondent for CBS News and creator and host of The TakeOut podcast, about a wild week on Capitol Hill. Major breaks down the chaotic - and potentially dangerous - ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and what's next for Congress. Major discusses his new podcast, a fascinating series called "Agent of Betrayal", which tells the story of an FBI double agent, Robert Hanssen, who was considered one of the most damaging covert operatives in US history. Lastly, he speaks out about his former employer Fox News, its promotion of Trump and his election lie. This episode was produced by Brandon Reschke.