THE DAILY NEWSLETTER  - THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Dana Perino

Across the country, people are stuck at home as they avoid social gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak. That means kids are home from school, too, and a lot of parents have hours to fill and even homeschool to conduct.

Fox's Dana Perino had an idea on how she could do something for those families. 

"I was in touch with a lot of friends who have younger children," Perino said for Fox Digital. "All of the sudden everyone is at home and their routines are disrupted. Families are trying to figure out, 'OK so how do we keep doing our jobs and take care of our children?'"

"I was in touch with a lot of friends who have younger children, “ Perino said. “All of the sudden everyone is at home and their routines are disrupted. Families are trying to figure out, ‘OK so how do we keep doing our jobs and take care of our children?'"

And that's what she did. 

Perino has been hosting story time for over a week now, and more than 1.4 million people have viewed the videos on Facebook Live. "It's true recognition that working mothers and fathers are finding this to be helpful as they learn a new normal," said Fox.

It's a cool idea, and a fun thing to do with your kids. And it's a positive story in a time whene there are few. That adds up to a media win.
MEDIA LOSER:
Washington Examiner

A senior editor quit the Washington Examiner this month after accusing management of failing to address complaints of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace environment, dealing another blow to the conservative outlet’s beleaguered editorial staff.

In a scathing resignation letter obtained by Mediaite, the editor accused leadership of enabling a climate of bullying and harassment from the outlet’s former managing editor, Toby Harnden, and ignoring instances of “abusive behavior” in the office.

The details, covered in-depth by Mediaite's Aidan McLughlin, are fairly sordid. There is an investigation into the allegations of a hostile worplace, but even the nature and intent of that investigation are the subject of back-and-forth narratives and accusations.

On top of that, there are allegations of slanting coverage to please Fox News in order to keep the TV appearances flowing, as a means of reversing downward trending traffic.

That senior editor who resigned expressed an initial desire to stay at the Examiner in their resignation letter, but wrote that by the time they quit they had become “ashamed to work for this organization."

It is a mess and it is unfolding in public. Negative press and a bad environment makes a losing media moment for sure.

The A-Block

Unemployment, Schmunemployment

At Thursday's briefing from the White House coronavirus task force, President Donald Trump was not surprised by the latest unemployment numbers. 

Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that 3.28 million filed for unemployment benefits between March 15 and the 21st. In other words, last week saw the most unemployment benefits claims ever

President Trump said he wasn't shocked by the numbers, given the situation. “I heard it could be 6 million, it could be 7 million," he said

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin was asked about it on CNBC earlier today. “To be honest with you, I just think these numbers right now are not relevant whether they’re bigger or smaller in the short term,” he told hosts Jim Cramer and David Faber

‘It’s not sustainable’

Disturbing new CNN and New York Times reports on the coronavirus situation in New York City have focused on the ominous signs that the health care system will soon be overwhelmed by the demands of the pandemic.

The Times and CNN’s Brynn Gingras both delivered reports on Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, which has transferred non-coronavirus patients to other facilities in order to become one of the city’s main crisis centers. Medical officials have spoken of an “apocalyptic” scene inside the hospital, describing how they’re forced to work with increasingly strained resources as patients are dying while in wait at the emergency room.

‘Worry and panic’

Dr. Mehmet Oz has become a regular contributor to Fox & Friends, providing medical insight to Fox News viewers in light of the growing coronavirus pandemic. Today, Dr. Oz warned that the “worry and panic” about Covid-19 will be worse than the actual coronavirus for many.

“I don’t want to downplay these issues because they may have Coronavirus because it’s often mild symptoms,” he told Steve Doocy on Thursday morning. “Panic attack is devastating, it’s not just in your head. The whole body. The rapid palpitations, the sweating, feeling like the world is closing in around you.”

'New York City needs their help now'

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson tore into President Donald Trump and Washington in general for not doing more to help the five boroughs as the coronavirus brings the city’s health care system to its breaking point, in a fiery appearance on MSNBC.

The Federalist botched it, says dermatologist under fire

Douglas Perednia says he never thought his opinion piece on “controlled infection” of the coronavirus, published in The Federalist, would draw such a heated backlash.

The piece, which proposed the deliberate spread of the coronavirus in order to boost immunity to the disease, drew heated criticism when it ran on the conservative website on Wednesday. A tweet linking to the op-ed was even flagged as dangerous and deleted by Twitter.

In an exclusive interview with Mediaite, the dermatologist said the Federalist made a series of edits to his story without alerting him, which included changing the headline to focus on “chickenpox parties.”

 

Must-See Clip(s) of the Day

Good News 

With the deluge of headlines blaring the latest crisis sparked by the spread of the coronavirus, Mediaite has decided to dedicate at least one story per day to good news coming in from around the world.

There are several videos worth watching in today's Good News update from Mediaite. Country singer Brad Paisley comes in with a free groceries announcement, and two YouTube stars give away $5,000 worth of toilet paper rolls that, get this, they already had before the run on the necessity at stores around the world.

And there's more.

Links We Like

ALL the Coronavirus Statistics Are Flawed
via The Atlantic
When a $2.2 Trillion Stimulus is Not Enough... Or Even a Stimulus
- via Axios
New York's Ordeal Could be America's Future
- Dean Obeidallah, via CNN 
As the Speaker Drags Her Feet on Relief, America Feels the Pelosi Bust
- via Washington Free Beacon
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