Nothing to fear, no April Fool's pranks here. There's a lot going on: ESPN is taking control of NFL Network. Gmail is celebrating a birthday. "Super Mario Galaxy" is coming out in theaters. But there are some serious headlines to sort through first, so let's get to it... |
A moonshot and a war address |
For my money, the biggest television event of the day is the Artemis II launch. NASA will be "circumnavigating the moon and returning humans to deep space for the first time in five decades," as CNN's Jackie Wattles and Ashley Strickland report here.
As my kids already know, because we've been counting down to liftoff for days already, "the current target for takeoff is a two-hour launch window that opens at 6:24 p.m. ET on Wednesday."
All the TV networks have special coverage plans, and so do some streamers. CNN alum Kristin Fisher is promoting "Launch Party," a live stream that she bills as "not your grandpa's launch coverage." I'll probably have three or four screens running simultaneously at launch.
But President Trump is planning another big TV event for later in the evening: A 9 p.m. address to the nation.
John Berman set it up this way on "CNN News Central" this morning: "A brand new poll shows the president's approval on the economy at an all-time low for him, as he will address the nation tonight with a, quote, 'important update' on the war with Iran. Perhaps the two thoughts there are connected."
"There are signs he is looking for a way to end the conflict, now saying it could be over in 2 to 3 weeks," Berman said. "And after saying Iran was begging for a deal, the president now says it doesn't matter whether Iran agrees to one."
You can check out that new CNN poll here. As for Trump's talk of the war concluding soon, this CNN banner captures the tension well: "TRUMP SAYS WAR WILL END IN 2 TO 3 WEEKS; IRAN SAYS IT'S READY TO FIGHT FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS."
|
Trump White House asks broadcasters for airtime |
Yesterday, the White House asked the broadcast networks for airtime for the speech, which is customary since the broadcasters have to preempt shows for POTUS. I believe the WH made the same request after Operation Midnight Hammer last June.
"What's not customary," Vulture’s Joe Adalian wrote on Bluesky, is "speaking at 9 p.m. ET when two of the Big Three nets have shows that run from 8-9:30 (Survivor) or 8-10 (Masked Singer season finale)."
Adalian asserted that "previous White Houses would've worked with nets to start at 8," and surmised that Trump wanted to speak at 9 instead because overall television usage numbers are higher in the 9 p.m. hour...
|
American journalist kidnapped in Iraq |
Everyone's thoughts are with freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson right now. Kittleson "was kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday," as CNN's Jennifer Hansler, Mohammed Tawfeeq, and Jeremy Diamond reported here. While it's "unclear who is responsible," sources told CNN "she was warned of threats against her, including kidnapping, from Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah."
>> The Committee to Protect Journalists said it's "deeply concerned," and called on "Iraqi authorities to do everything in their power to locate Shelley Kittleson." Reporters Without Borders said Kittleson is "very familiar with Iraq, where she stays for extended periods," and the organization "stands alongside her loved ones and colleagues during this painful wait."
|
A violation of the Constitution |
That's how Judge Randolph Moss depicted Trump's executive order targeting PBS and NPR. Yesterday, Moss ruled on a pair of lawsuits by the public broadcasters alleging First Amendment violations — and public media execs said the ruling matters a lot, even though Republicans have already zeroed out federal funding, because it's vital to defend the principle that the government cannot wield its power to punish speech.
"The court made clear that the government cannot use funding as a lever to influence or penalize the press, whether as a national news service or a local newsroom," NPR CEO Katherine Maher said.
|
Opening the door for future grants? |
Yesterday's ruling will not reverse the Trump-led campaign to strip NPR and PBS stations of federal funding, since Congress passed that rescission last summer. But it could — emphasis on could — lead to some funding for PBS and NPR in the future.
That’s because public broadcasters also used to receive grants from federal agencies. For instance, in May 2025, the Department of Education scrapped $23 million in funding for educational TV shows in accordance with Trump's executive order. Judge Moss now says that the order is unlawful because it "singles out two speakers and, on the basis of their speech, bars them from all federally funded programs."
Moss issued a permanent injunction barring the Trump admin from implementing the executive order, so now folks are wondering if the public broadcasters will try to claw those grants back. Here's my full story...
|
Appeals court halts VOA return |
Last night, a federal appeals court "paused a lower-court ruling that ordered the Trump administration to reinstate all full-time Voice of America reporters and support staff who were put on paid leave," preventing "about 1,000 Voice of America journalists from quickly returning to work," the NYT’s Minho Kim reports.
USAGM, VOA's parent agency, said "it was 'encouraged' by the appeals court ruling, which it said would allow it to continue to ‘advance President Trump’s agenda without disruption as the legal process moves forward,'" Kim writes.
|
|
|
|
