JD Vance sparred with George Stephanopoulos when pressed about an apparent $50,000 bribe to border czar Tom Homan, prompting the ABC News anchor to end the interview, by saying: “You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time this morning.”

“Former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather weighed in on David Ellison’s hire of Bari Weiss as editor in chief at CBS News, warning that it portends a culture of fear in the news division as staffers worry about their jobs,” Deadline reports.

Wrote Rather, in his newsletter: “That deal and the hiring of Weiss signals to everyone, especially to the man in the Oval Office, that CBS is no longer independent, but under the tutelage of a conservative billionaire who is putting more than his thumb on the scale.”

“Let’s do the fucking news.”

— Bari Weiss, quoted by Semafor, after introducing herself to CBS News staff as their new editor in chief.

“The Defense Department on Monday loosened and clarified its new restrictions for press access to the Pentagon, after more than two weeks of negotiations with national news organizations,” the New York Times reports.

“Under the rules, journalists requiring credentials to the Pentagon will not need approval from the department before publishing articles with information not officially released. News organizations widely interpreted an earlier draft as requiring that approval, drawing their condemnation.”

“Manosphere podcasters didn’t win Donald Trump the presidency in the 2024 election cycle, but they went a long way to solidifying the president’s support among large swaths of the young men who follow them,” Rolling Stone reports.

“Now — nine months into the implementation of the president’s agenda — the same ultra-popular podcasters and streamers who lent their audiences to the president in 2024 are scrambling to break with his government.”

“Several journalists resigned this week from three newspapers in Alaska after the publications’ corporate owner made significant edits to an article about Charlie Kirk’s death, appearing to yield to pressure from a Republican state lawmaker who had criticized the coverage,” the New York Times reports.

By a more than two-to-one margin, Americans approve (58%) rather than disapprove (25%) of the decision by ABC and its parent company, Disney, to end Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension and let him return to TV, according to a new Yahoo/YouGov poll.

Gallup: “Americans’ confidence in the mass media has edged down to a new low, with just 28% expressing a ‘great deal’ or ‘fair amount’ of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news fully, accurately and fairly.”

“This is down from 31% last year and 40% five years ago.”

Jimmy Kimmel was a guest on Stephen Colbert’s show last night and Colbert also visited Kimmel’s show on the same night “a move that has never happened before in late-night,” Deadline reports.

Said Kimmel: “We thought it might be a fun way to drive the president nuts.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon told Variety he’ll keep his show out of politics: “I just keep my head down and make sure the jokes are funny.”

“Bari Weiss’ appointment to the top of CBS News is imminent,” Status reports.

“Paramount is set to formally announce its acquisition of The Free Press in the coming days, with Weiss set to be named editor in chief of CBS News.”

“The Pentagon on Tuesday night informed members of the press that it is delaying enforcement of its restrictive new rules,” Status reports.

Disney saw more than 1.7 million total paid streaming cancellations in the week after suspending Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show, The Handbasket reports.

Bill Maher: “Let’s make a deal… the left will quash all their loony woke shit, and the right will stop the slide into autocracy.”

“Conservative broadcaster Sinclair is putting Jimmy Kimmel Live! back on the air… even though ABC and owner Disney haven’t accepted its request for an ombudsman and other changes,” ArsTechnica reports.

“Nexstar Media Group joined Sinclair Broadcast Group in bringing Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show back to its local TV stations on Friday night, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of cities across the U.S.,” the AP reports.

“The move means ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will return to local TV on Nexstar’s ABC affiliates in 28 cities, along with the 38 stations where Sinclair agreed to restore the show.”

Sinclair, one of two large local TV owners that dropped “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the late-night comedian’s remarks on the Trump administration’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination, said on Friday that it would resume showing the program, the New York Times reports.