An Edith Wharton Short Story Is Published About 100 Years Later
A previously unreleased Edith Wharton short story, “The Men Who Saved the World,” has been published posthumously in The Strand Magazine. Written no earlier than July 1918, the manuscript was held at Yale’s Beinecke Library and abandoned by Wharton. The narrative depicts a 1918 dinner party in a French chateau amid World War I’s final days, juxtaposing lingering decorum with the war’s devastation. Its release offers fresh insight into Wharton’s wartime perspective and expands her literary repertoire.
A Murdoch Builds His Own Media Empire. Is This ‘Succession’ or Secession?
Rupert Murdoch resolved a bitter succession battle by naming his son Lachlan the sole heir, while paying each of his three other children over $1 billion to relinquish claims. In a striking move, James Murdoch announced a $300 million acquisition of New York Magazine,...
Netflix’s New Movie Strategy: Fewer, Better Films
Netflix film chair Dan Lin has overhauled the streamer’s movie strategy, prioritizing fewer, higher‑quality titles over the volume‑driven approach of his predecessor Scott Stuber. By tightening budgets, reorganizing teams by genre, and demanding direct involvement from talent, Lin’s model produced...
Looking Back on a Year as Co-Chief Restaurant Critics
The New York Times appointed Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan as co‑chief restaurant critics last June, marking a shift from a single‑voice model. In their first year they reviewed establishments across more than a dozen states and introduced video reviews to the...
‘Backrooms’ Is Part of a Boomlet in Movies From YouTube Creators
YouTube creator Kane Parsons’ debut horror film “Backrooms” opened in 3,400 U.S. and Canadian theaters, projected to earn at least $60 million in its first weekend on a $10 million budget. The movie joins other low‑budget hits like “Obsession,” which has already...
How a Curious FIFA Deal Gave Fox a Huge Bargain for World Cup Broadcast Rights
Fox Corporation will broadcast the 2026 World Cup for under $500 million, a fraction of the $1‑$1.5 billion analysts say the rights are worth. The bargain traces back to a 2015 FIFA boardroom decision that extended Fox’s contract in exchange for the...
Why New York Times Travel Writers Turn Down Press Perks and Freebies
The New York Times travel desk requires its reporters to pay for, or be reimbursed for, any travel they undertake, rejecting complimentary press trips and junkets. The policy, championed by travel editor Amy Virshup, is designed to mirror the typical reader experience and...
New York Times Sues Pentagon for a Second Time
The New York Times has filed a second lawsuit against the Department of Defense, alleging that the Pentagon’s policy requiring journalists to be escorted at all times violates the First Amendment. The rule, instituted in March, forces reporters to schedule appointments, wait...
Political Money Is Flowing to Influencers. But From Whom?
Social media influencers are increasingly hired by political campaigns to promote candidates without public disclosure. The New York Times reports that TikTok star Carlos Espina was paid $100,000 by Tom Steyer’s California governor campaign, funneling the money through a Texas...
Watching ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ as an Elegy for Magazines
The Devil Wears Prada 2 turns a beloved comedy into a sharp commentary on fashion journalism’s decline, earning $240 million in its opening weekend and already surpassing the original’s $326 million total. The film follows former assistant‑turned‑Dior executive Emily as she navigates layoffs,...
Guy Goma’s Accidental BBC Interview Lives On After 20 Years
Two decades after a BBC newsroom mistake thrust an unsuspecting IT job seeker, Guy Goma, into the spotlight, the clip has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone. In May 2006, Goma was mistakenly interviewed live as an expert on a high‑profile...
Ronald Smothers, Times Reporter Who Covered Protest and Politics, Dies at 79
Ronald Smothers, a pioneering African‑American journalist who spent nearly four decades at The New York Times, died at 79 after a stroke. He began his career covering the 1967 Newark riots and the turbulent aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, later...
Reporters at McClatchy Withhold Bylines in A.I. Dispute
McClatchy has deployed an internal AI system called the Content Scaling Agent to generate audience‑specific summaries of reporters' stories. Journalists at The Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee and other chain papers are refusing to attach their bylines to AI‑assisted pieces, opting...
Hundreds of Fake Pro-Trump Avatars Emerge on Social Media
In the run‑up to the 2026 midterm elections, hundreds of AI‑generated pro‑Trump influencer avatars flooded TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. The synthetic personas post identical, fervent captions praising God, America and Trump while commenting on hot‑button issues like the Iran...
The Economist Is Putting Names (and Faces) to Its Magazine
The Economist, long known for its anonymous bylines, is launching Economist Play, a new video component of its mobile app slated for summer 2026. The service will feature shows hosted by correspondents from studios in New York and London, along...