McClatchy offices. (Screen grab via McClatchy/YouTube)
On Monday morning, staffers across McClatchy’s real-time news desk received an unexpected invitation to a hastily arranged Zoom meeting at noon. The calendar invite was vague, referring only in general terms to a restructuring update. The team wasn’t too taken aback by it; they knew change was coming. But they didn’t anticipate what awaited them when they logged on.
When the journalists on the nearly two dozen-strong team joined the call, they were hit with stunning news: McClatchy was eliminating the entire real-time news operation, which effectively operated as its national breaking news desk. The announcement left the team reeling. Their employment, they were told, would end on November 14.
“We were not expecting for the team to be cut,” one impacted staffer told Status.
The real-time desk wasn’t the only casualty in the latest round of layoffs sweeping through the storied newspaper company behind The Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, and Charlotte Observer, affecting dozens of employees. Status has learned…
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The Drudge Report homepage. (Screen shot)
It’s Election Night in America:
In addition to CNN’s linear coverage, the network hosted a special show on its nascent streamer, hosted by data guru Harry Enten. It featured Charlamagne tha God and Ben Shapiro, though Charlamagne strangely left the show early.
On CBS News, The Free Press’ Olivia Reingold was scheduled to participate in the outlet’s streaming coverage. [CBS]
MSNBC debuted its MS NOW “We the People” rebranding campaign, with a spot narrated by Rachel Maddow. [THR]
Chris Cuomo, covering the election for NewsNation, disclosed, "And of course, I wanted my brother to win." [Mediaite]
The New York Post partnered with Mark Halperin for a live-stream. The Keith Poole-led outlet previously described Halperin, who was accused of sexual misconduct by a multitude of women in 2017, as “disgraced” and accused him of “acting like a pig.”
ABC News was still dark on YouTube TV as the Google-owned pay-TV provider remains in dispute with Disney.
Vox Media's board "has discussed possibly spinning out its podcast network and separating it from the publishing business," Sara Fischer reported, citing sources. One interested party in the publishing side of the house, per Fischer: Jay Penske. [Axios]
✂ Cuts, cuts, cuts: Lachlan Cartwright confirmed that layoffs are planned for The WaPo's newsroom, confirming our previous reporting. [Breaker]
Norah O'Donnell's "60 Minutes" sit-down with Donald Trump was a ratings hit—though it had a strong lead-in, courtesy of the NFL. Sunday's episode averaged 14 million viewers, its most-watched since 2021. [Variety]
Bari Weiss' security detail is costing CBS News in the neighborhood of $10,000 a day, Oli Coleman reported. [NY Post]
Another exodus: Laurie Orlando, senior vice president of talent strategy and development at CBS News and Stations, is leaving the network. I'm told it was indeed related to Weiss. [Variety]
Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S., rebranded as USA Today Company, adopting the name of its biggest publication. [AdWeek]
✂ Cuts, cuts, cuts: PBS SoCal cut 10% of its staff after Trump and Republicans clawed back funding for public broadcasters. [Current]
Barron's launched a subscription product for $15 a month. [TBN]
Tucker Carlson interviews Nick Fuentes on "The Tucker Carlson Show." (Screen grab via YouTube)
The Contrite Carlson: Tucker Carlson is backtracking after igniting fierce backlash over comments he made during his chummy sit-down with notorious white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In an interview with comedian Dave Smith, Carlson apologized for saying he dislikes “Christian Zionists … more than anybody” and for describing their beliefs about Israel as “heresy” and a “brain virus.” Carlson told Smith, "I was snippy, and I didn't explain it, and I said something to the effect of, 'I despise Christian Zionists,' and I'm just sorry that I said that, because I don't."
🔍 Zooming in: The reversal from the fired Fox News host comes after…
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