WorldNetDaily loves it when President Trump and his administration threatens the (non-right-wing) media for failing to bend to his will. Joe Kovacs — who loves it when Trump lashes out at the media –gushed in a July 22 article:
In the wake of legal action over a deceptively edited “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House race, President Donald Trump on Tuesday said CBS and its parent company Paramount have finally paid a $16 million settlement, with another $20 million on the way.
“Paramount/CBS/60 Minutes have today paid $16 Million Dollars in settlement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “and we also anticipate receiving $20 Million Dollars more from the new Owners, in Advertising, PSAs, or similar Programming, for a total of over $36 Million Dollars.”
The president called it “a BIG AND IMPORTANT WIN in our Historic Lawsuit” against the media giant.
But as we documented, the full video of the Harris interview showed it was not deceptively edited, just standard procedures in editing an interview for broadcast. Kovacs also failed to disclose the likely reason CBS’ parent chose to settle: to make an effective payoff to Trump to ensure federal approval of a planned merger.
It was Bob Unruh’s turn to promote a Trump media threat in a July 24 article:
Only hours after President Donald Trump issued a warning to entertainers on “The View” about their anti-White House rants, one of those entertainers has announced the show will be broadcast yet on Friday, but then is on “hiatus.”
A report at Fox had documented how co-host Joy Behar had been told that her show could be next on the chopping block after her latest tirade against Trump.
[…]On Thursday morning, Behar confirmed the shutdown.
“We only have one more show after this,” she said.
Behar had pushed her politics regarding the call from Trump for Barack Obama to be criminally investigated, which apparently already is happening. The issue is over government evidence that the Obama administration manufactured claims that Trump’s 2016 campaign was colluding with Russia, a claim unsupported by evidence.
Behar ranted, “First of all, who tried to overthrow the government on Jan. 6? Who was that again? That was not Obama. The thing about him is he’s so jealous of Obama, because Obama is everything that he is not: Trim, smart, handsome, happily married, and can sing Al Green’s song ‘Let’s Stay Together’ better than Al Green. And Trump cannot stand it. It’s driving him crazy. Green is not a good color.”White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers cited the show’s ratings and suggested that it could be taken off the air.
In fact, as even the Media Research Center has conceded, “The View” goes on hiatus every summer.
Kovacs cheered another Trump media meltdown in an Aug. 25 article:
President Donald Trump is urging severe action be taken against ABC and NBC News, claiming their “crooked journalism” should not be rewarded.
In a series of late-night messages posted Sunday on Truth Social, Trump indicated: “Despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History, ABC & NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the worst and most biased networks in history, give me 97% BAD STORIES.
“IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC. I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!”
Kovacs waited a few more paragraphs before admitting the truth that Trump can’t actually do that:
Fox News reported: “Being national networks, ABC and NBC News do not hold FCC licenses for news content but provide programming for local affiliates across the country – which are regulated by the FCC and require licensing to operate in the U.S.
“TV stations pay fees and annual regulatory fees based on station type and market, while cable outlets pay their own regulatory fees. Only Congress has the authority to impose and collect such fees, which are deposited in the U.S. Treasury.
“Any move to revoke licenses based on real or perceived news bias would run afoul of First Amendment protections. Similar attempts in the past have been struck down by the courts.”
Shouldn’t Kovacs have led with the fact that Trump is trying to do something unconstitutional, which is the bigger news here? then again, WND doesn’t care about news, only being a part of Trump Regime Media.