A collective intake of breath across newsrooms
The Muck Rack Weekly newsletter includes some of the most talked about stories in the journalism and public relations communities over the past week, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of Muck Rack.
Media statistic of the week
Bluesky now has 20 million users and counting. It scored the No. 1 spot in the Apple App Store’s US chart this week, reports Clare Duffy for CNN.?
Success for the app comes after a mass exodus of users leaving X after Musk’s role in the U.S. presidential election. Some exits are prominent journalists like Don Lemon and Charlie Warzel of The Atlantic. And then there are entire organizations, such as The Guardian, who announced they will stop posting on the platform, but users can still share articles on X. ??
This past week in the media industry?
Cabinet and Executive Branch ch-ch-changes
It’s been quite a week for Washington D.C. – and all of us along for the ride. One of the biggest stories of the week was How Pete Hegseth went from Fox News host to Trump’s Defense Secretary pick reported by Brian Stelter for CNN.?
“In a sign he has been making his cabinet selections while watching TV, Trump picks Fox anchor Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense,” wrote CNN’s Jim Acosta.?
There’s been a lot of opinions regarding the pick, a big part due to his lack of experience. “Hegseth’s choice could bring sweeping changes to the military,” reports Lolita Baldor and Tara Copp for the Associated Press (AP). Read the full story here: Trump’s defense choice stuns the Pentagon and raises questions about the Fox News host’s experience
The other problem? Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017, reports Bill Chappell for NPR. The nomination will go forward, he writes as Defense pick Peter Hegseth paid the accuser to protect his career, his lawyer confirms.?
Hegseth isn’t the only one under a microscope. Trump’s team skips FBI background checks for some Cabinet picks, reports Evan Perez, Zachary Cohen, Holmes Lybrand and Kristen Holmes for CNN. This includes Matt Gaetz, his choice for attorney general who has been questioned by the Justice Department and House ethics investigations for sex trafficking.?
Regarding the pick of Gaetz, “Biggest collective intake of breath I've heard in a newsroom since the day Trump fired Comey as FBI director,” says Niall Stanage of The Hill.?
“These confirmation hearings may just save cable TV for the short term,” says Chuck Todd of NBC.
Here’s a look Behind the curtain: Why Trump picked Gaetz by Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen for Axios.?
Then there are the other picks, such as Trump says he is naming former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy to be transportation secretary by Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price, and Darlene Superville for AP. And, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt named as next White House press secretary reported by Michelle L. Price for PBS.?
Then you have Brendan Carr wrote the FCC chapter in ‘Project 2025.’ Now he’s Trump’s pick for the agency, by Brian Stelter for CNN.?
Last, who could forget: Trump to select Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS as reported by Meridith McGraw and Chelsea Cirruzzo for Politico.?
Morning Joe hosts get a wake up
MSNBC Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski got a lot of attention this week when they went to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump to “restart communications.” MSNBC ‘Morning Joe’ Hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski Meet With Trump in Bid for “New Approach” to Coverage reports Alex Weprin for The Hollywood Reporter (THR).
“The duo, who used to be friends with Trump, turned into fierce critics during his first term in office, and he returned the favor, occasionally ripping into them in posts on X (formerly Twitter),” says Weprin. “At the top of Monday’s program, they disclosed their trip, acknowledging that his decisive win influenced their decision.”
The move may have been calculated, per Brian Stelter’s story for CNN: ‘Morning Joe’ meeting with Trump was driven by fears of retribution from incoming administration, sources say.?
“Some hosts and employees took a realpolitik view of the matter, saying that access to the president-elect is a valuable part of reporting and covering the news,” says Stelter. “Others said the meeting was a troubling early sign of capitulation to a political leader who MSNBC has portrayed, day after day, as a would-be dictator.”
It’s also ruffling some feathers. While Fox & Friends Praise ‘Most Magnanimous’ Trump for Meeting With Joe and Mika ‘After They Called Him Facist and Hitler’ says Colby Hall for Mediaite, David Bauder of the AP writes that some think the co-hosts are ‘Kissing the ring?’ MSNBC ‘Morning Joe’ hosts meet with Trump to reopen lines of communication.
This all plays into the larger conversation of how Trump’s next term will impact the media. Two stories to read and give thought to: Trump May Usher In Massive TV Station Land Grab by Alex Weprin for THR? and Tom Jones’ opinion piece for Poynter: Donald Trump praises a ‘free, fair and open’ press — as long as it falls in line.
Social media showdown
As our media statistic of the week shows, social media app Bluesky is experiencing major growth. But with that comes some obstacles, reports Mike Isaac for The New York Times. “We as a team take pride in our ability to scale quickly. But there's always some growing pains,” says CEO Jay Graber. Read the story here: How Bluesky, Alternative to X and Facebook, Is Handling Explosive Growth.
Next, it looks like Trump wants room for all social media apps to survive. In a story for The Washington Post, Jeff Stein, Drew Harwell and Jacob Bogage say Trump expected to try to halt TikTok ban, allies say.?
“He appreciates the breadth and reach of TikTok, which he used masterfully along with podcasts and new media entrants to win,” said Kellyanne Conway in the piece, who ran Trump’s first presidential campaign, served in the White House, and remains close to him now and also advocates for TikTok. “There are many ways to hold China to account outside alienating 180 million U.S. users each month.”
It doesn’t look like Truth Social is going away either, per Reuters. A quick look: Trump's social media group in talks to buy Bakkt, FT reports. For the NY Times Matthew Goldstein breaks down What to Know About Trump Media Now That the Election Is Over.
More notable media stories
From the Muck Rack Team
As we continue to unpack Muck Rack’s The State of PR Measurement 2024, one thing is clear: journalists are stressed. In fact, 40% of journalists have left a previous job due to burnout, and in 2024 more than half of journalists considered quitting. With journalists moving jobs and switching to freelance more often, it’s important for PR pros to stay updated on these changes and other challenges to pitch effectively and accurately. Read on for three ways PR pros can strengthen relationships with journalists to improve their media relations strategy.
The future is bright!