Status | Media News & Analysis

When Bezos Questioned His Will

Before The Washington Post slashed a third of its newsroom, Jeff Bezos rejected Will Lewis’ initial layoff plan in a previously unreported meeting, Status has learned. Meanwhile, a Bezos confidante has re-emerged behind the scenes.

The WSJ’s Features Fracas

Feb 9, 2026

Bezos Loses His Will

Feb 8, 2026

Conflict of Disinterest

Feb 7, 2026

'Andor' and the Real-World Rebellion

Feb 6, 2026

MS NOW’s Crooked Play

Feb 5, 2026

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Below the Fold

Bezos’ WashPost Bloodletting

As The Washington Post cleaved off a third of its workforce, chief executive Will Lewis and owner Jeff Bezos were nowhere to be found—leaving the storied institution to profusely bleed while its top leaders hid from accountability.

The Weiss Way or the Highway

As speculation swirls over whether CBS News will take any action after new health contributor Peter Attia was ensnared in the Epstein Files, Status has learned what Bari Weiss’s silence actually signals—and what it says about her leadership.

Axios’ OpenAI Arrangement

Why it matters: OpenAI is funding the Smart Brevity outlet’s local expansion into several new communities around the country as it embraces A.I. in its news products.

Will Grammys Raise the Volume?

After a muted Golden Globes, Bruce Springsteen’s protest song “Streets of Minneapolis” and the Grammys could set the tone for an awards season where stars feel compelled to speak out.

‘This Is a New Dimension’

As federal agents begin arresting journalists, experts tell Status that Donald Trump's attacks on the press have crossed into openly authoritarian behavior.

Trump Squeezes Lemon

From taunting journalists as “fake news” to now outright arresting them, the charges against Don Lemon signal that Donald Trump’s attacks on the press have reached a chilling new extreme.

Calming the CNN Waters

CNN chief Mark Thompson moved to calm nerves inside the network during an all-hands meeting, while also being pressed on Scott Jennings’ on-air rhetoric, Status has learned. But speculation about the organization's ultimate fate keeps swirling.

The Post's Audience of One

As Jeff Bezos continues to snub The Washington Post, the mood inside the newsroom has darkened—though staffers are pressing on with not only public, but behind-the-scenes appeals to the billionaire, Status has learned.

Weiss and the Wary

The new CBS News chief finally addressed her skeptical newsroom, presenting her vision of the network’s future and fielding tough questions about her editorial views—though some staffers told Status they left unconvinced.