Jon Passantino

Jon Passantino is the executive editor of Status.

Ellison's Settlement Squeeze

Sep 19, 2026

Paramount may be closing in on a settlement with California AG Rob Bonta, but at least two states are pushing back, Status has learned, raising new questions about how far regulators are willing to bend in David Ellison’s pursuit of Warner Bros.

Inside the Status Summit

Sep 12, 2026

A look inside the inaugural gathering, where some of the media’s biggest names descended for a day of candid conversations, lively exchanges, and plenty of behind-the-scenes chatter.

Milo Gets His Wish

Aug 29, 2026

After years spent cheering on Donald Trump’s hardline immigration approach and demanding mass deportations, far-right personality Milo Yiannopoulos found himself on the receiving end of the very ICE crackdown he advocated for.

The Pentagon’s Truth Purge

Aug 22, 2026

Pete Hegseth’s purge of Stars and Stripes leadership shows that the anti-press defense secretary is trying to turn the independent newspaper into another propaganda organ for the Trump administration.

Carr's Consolidation Overdrive

Aug 8, 2026

Brendan Carr’s FCC just removed one of the last barriers standing between Trump’s media allies and even greater control of local television.

MAGA’s Leaky Narrative

Aug 1, 2026

Weeks after Fox News and top right-wing media figures blamed Democrats for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the Justice Department admitted the narrative didn't hold water.

The White House Correspondents’ Disgrace

Jul 25, 2026

The WHCA sought to reconvene its annual dinner in celebration of press freedom. Instead, it handed Donald Trump a platform to attack the very journalists the organization exists to represent.

The Times’ Source Standoff

Jul 18, 2026

A federal judge granted The NYT a temporary reprieve from Trump administration subpoenas targeting three of its reporters, Status has learned, setting up a high-stakes hearing next week over confidential sources.

Ellison’s Merger Danger Zone

Jul 9, 2026

David Ellison thought he had won the hardest battle for Warner Bros. Discovery. Now, a state-led legal offensive and scrutiny in the U.K. could put the blockbuster deal in jeopardy, experts tell Status.

Trump’s World Cup Foul

Jul 6, 2026

Donald Trump has targeted American media companies and corporations with pressure campaigns behind closed doors. At the World Cup, the entire world is now getting a front-row seat.

Meta’s Speech Muzzle

Jun 27, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg has proclaimed himself a staunch defender of free expression, invoking the principle as he dismantled Meta’s guardrails against misinformation. That is, unless the speech is about Meta.

Bezos’ Trump Backfire

Jun 20, 2026

Jeff Bezos privately belittled The Washington Post to Donald Trump during a Mar-a-Lago dinner, according to a forthcoming book, offering a remarkable glimpse into how he views the newspaper he owns.

Ellison’s Champagne Celebration

Jun 13, 2026

Paramount is hosting a D.C. brunch on Sunday ahead of the White House UFC fight, Status has learned, just days after securing DOJ approval for its Warner Bros. Discovery deal.

Bari On The Bubble

Jun 6, 2026

The road is littered with the bodies of news chiefs who had the backing of their bosses—until they didn’t.

Bari’s False Case Against ‘60 Minutes’

May 30, 2026

Just days before gutting television’s most successful news program, CBS News was celebrating record digital growth. So if expanding the brand’s online footprint is the goal, why fire the team successfully doing just that?

Holding a Mirror to Media

May 23, 2026

This week, Status was honored to receive the inaugural Mirror Award for Best Media Newsletter—a recognition of the work we are able to do because of readers like you.

Subsidizing MAGA Mouthpieces

May 16, 2026

Billionaire media owners are pouring money into little-watched MAGA-friendly podcasts and video ventures in hopes of currying favor with the administration.

The Mouse Bites Back

May 9, 2026

Disney is mounting its most aggressive pushback yet against Donald Trump’s attempts to censor his critics, signaling that the company has concluded its wiser to fight rather than fold.

CNN’s Scott Jennings Silence

May 2, 2026

Jennings’ profanity-laced blowup raises new questions about how much belligerent behavior CNN management is willing to tolerate from its most prominent pro-Trump commentator.

MAGA Joins the #Resistance

Apr 11, 2026

The right-wing media machine that helped power Donald Trump’s return to the White House has turned on him, with some of MAGA’s biggest stars now calling for his removal.

Carr Blares the Horn

Mar 28, 2026

The FCC chairman’s comments at CPAC laid bare that the administration views controlling the media and sidelining critics as a political victory.

Hegseth’s Press Defeat

Mar 21, 2026

A federal judge struck down the Pentagon’s attempt to gatekeep press access, delivering a major legal blow to Pete Hegseth’s efforts to create a safe space.

The Snowflake Secretary

Mar 14, 2026

Pete Hegseth is waging war on the press—banning photographers, silencing reporters, and crying conspiracy over casualty counts—revealing him to be the thin-skinned snowflake he once decried as a Fox News host.

Nexstarving for Trump’s Approval

Mar 7, 2026

CNN staffers dismissed NewsNation’s latest promo attacking Kaitlan Collins as “pathetic”—but the episode showcased how Nexstar’s network is cozying up to MAGA as it seeks approval for a massive merger.

MAGA’s Midnight War

Feb 28, 2026

After years of branding Donald Trump as the anti-war “peace president,” much of MAGA Media erupted in cheers as he launched an unauthorized war on Iran—though not everyone is happy.