Press Club

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Jane Ferguson, a special correspondent for PBS NewsHour and contributor to the New Yorker. Ferguson arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine less than two weeks ago, the same day documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud was killed by Russian forces. Ferguson and McLaughlin discuss the dangers of reporting from Ukraine, how she copes with covering war, and why so many journalists seem to be caught in the crossfire in this particular conflict. Ferguson, an experienced foreign correspondent, has covered wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Dan McLaughlin, a foreign correspondent covering eastern Europe for The Irish Times. McLaughlin, who has spent years reporting from eastern Europe and Russia, has been on the ground in Ukraine covering the Russian invasion. They discuss what Ukraine is like right now for its citizens and reporters, what's next for Putin's invasion, and Russia’s escalating crackdown on the press.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks with tech reporter Taylor Lorenz about covering influencers, creator culture, and social media. We also discuss her move to the Washington Post, her experience at the New York Times, how she deals with harassment from YouTubers and attacks from Tucker Carlson, and whether papers like the Times are equipped to defend reporters from modern smear campaigns.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks to CNN anchor and chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto, who is reporting from Ukraine this week as Russia amasses troops on its border. Sciutto explains the crisis, reveals what live is like in Ukrainian capital Kyiv right now, how CNN set up shop in a potential war zone, and whether the press has gotten better at covering war.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin talks to Margaret Brennan, moderator of Face the Nation, about how she prepares for the show, asking tough questions of world leaders, conflict between Russia and Ukraine, dealing with election deniers, and her incredible career in journalism.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks with CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers about voting rights, partisan discourse on MLK Day, media coverage of the Biden administration, his career as a politician, attorney and author, and his new children's book "Who Are Your People."

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Leonhardt, a senior writer at the New York Times and author of their highly influential morning newsletter (it's called "The Morning"). They discuss the Omicron wave, media coverage of the Covid pandemic, misinformation from the right and left, and his incredible career in journalism.

Mediaite editor in chief Aidan McLaughlin speaks to New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica. They discuss the life and legacy of Virgil Abloh, interviewing Kanye West in Wyoming, covering the music industry through a pandemic, and whether Drake has a good album left in him. Caramanica, who hails from Brooklyn, cut his teeth in journalism writing for rap magazines. He now wears a few enviable hats at the Times: pop music critic, author of the Critical Shopper column, and host of the Popcast podcast.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Fox News host Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and an ardent supporter of Donald Trump. They spoke the morning after Hegseth hosted the “Patriot Awards”, an event put on by streaming platform Fox Nation. The spirited discussion covered the ceremony, the 2020 election, Covid vaccines and more.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks to David French, a conservative writer, constitutional lawyer and veteran. He is senior editor at The Dispatch and author of a fresh newsletter for The Atlantic, The Third Rail, which tackles the complex issues that divide the country. French and McLaughlin discuss evangelical support for Trump, whether there is any legal basis for "rigged election" claims, Christian opposition to vaccines, the legality of vaccine mandates, and the future of the Republican Party. French is the author of several books, most recently "Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation."