Michael Calderone is Media Editor at TheWrap, overseeing coverage of the industry, and with an emphasis on the intersection of media and politics. He was most recently an editor at Vanity Fair and has reported on the media for Politico, HuffPost, and The New York Observer. He has also taught journalism courses at Princeton University and New York University.
Experience:
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Donald Trump’s CNN Grudge Looms Over Warner Bros. Discovery Deal | Analysis
The president has inserted his desire for a revamped CNN into the center of the Paramount-Neflix battle
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The Media Front
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Why Trump Keeps Getting Away With Insulting Female White House Reporters | Analysis
White House Correspondents Association President Weijia Jiang tells TheWrap that “personal attacks” on journalists “will not deter them,” though calls to stand up for maligned colleagues are mounting
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The Media Front
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Netflix’s Warner Bros. Deal Doesn’t Get CNN Out of ‘Purgatory’
Even as CEO Mark Thompson spoke positively about increased investment in CNN as it spins out next year with Discovery Global, the specter of another shakeup remains
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CNBC Strikes Deal With Kalshi for Real-Time Prediction Data
The partnership was announced as part of Versant Investor Day, along with plans for an MS NOW direct-to-consumer launch in Summer 2026
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Los Angeles Is On the Cusp of a Local News Boom | Analysis
Three startups – LA Local, LAReported and Murdoch’s California Post – are set to reshape how journalists cover one of America’s most complex cities
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The Media Front
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New York Times Sues Pentagon Over Press Restrictions
The paper, which rejected new access rules in October along with dozens of news outlets, claims the Defense Department is violating the First Amendment
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Pete Hegseth’s Media Bubble Has Already Popped on Day 1 | Analysis
Even with a new Pentagon press corps packed with conservative reporters and influencers, it’s the legacy media still driving the news cycle
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The Media Front
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Media Clashes on the Right Could Shape What Comes After Trump: ‘Things are a Hot Mess ’ | Analysis
Debates over Jeffrey Epstein and Nick Fuentes, and who carries the MAGA mantle, have politicians and pundits staking ground ahead of 2028
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The Media Front
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Former Washington Post Editor Calls Trump’s Jamal Khashoggi Comments ‘A Disgrace’ | Exclusive
Martin Baron, who was the Post’s top editor when the columnist was killed in 2018, tells TheWrap: “Just when you think Trump has gone as low as possible, he goes still lower”
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The Media Front
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Jeffrey Epstein’s Brother Wants a ‘Real’ Investigation Into Prison Death, Not a ‘Cover-Up’
Mark Epstein tells TheWrap he doesn’t believe his brother committed suicide and is skeptical government files will shed new light on the 2019 death
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The Media Front
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In the BBC, Trump Faces an Opponent Beyond the White House’s Grasp | Analysis
Unlike Disney and Paramount, the British broadcaster doesn’t contend with government regulatory pressures, and this latest media clash will test the president’s ability to cow news organizations overseas
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The Media Front
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Michael Wolff Defends Dealings With Jeffrey Epstein: ‘You Get More With a Little Honey’
Critics are pounding on the storied journalist after Epstein’s emails revealed he blurred the line between adviser and reporter
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The Media Front
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The Epstein Firestorm Comes Roaring Back, and Donald Trump Is Getting Scorched | Analysis
“I know how dirty Donald is,” Epstein wrote in August 2018 to a top lawyer who served in the Obama administration
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The Media Front
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Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Media Blitz: Revenge Tour, Epic Troll or 2028 Prep? | Analysis
Whatever her endgame, MTG is remaking her image while addressing cost of living concerns and criticizing GOP leadership
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The Media Front
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Jubilation at Zohran Mamdani’s Election Night Party: ‘The Future Is in Our Hands’
The newly elected New York City mayor gave a rousing speech focused on his ambitious, progressive agenda
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The Media Front
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