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.

Michael Calderone
Experience:
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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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Why MSNBC’s Mission Won’t Change in MS NOW Rebrand | Analysis
Ahead of their final election at 30 Rock, MSNBC anchors Chris Hayes and Stephanie Ruhle discuss the rebrand, what they’re watching for Tuesday night and where Trump and Mamdani are similar
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Donald Trump Returns to ‘60 Minutes’ on His Terms | Analysis
Norah O’Donnell pressed Trump on timely topics, and got some revealing answers amid the president mocking critics and boasting about his accomplishments, looks and the Paramount settlement
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Patrick Soon-Shiong Wants to Raise $500 Million for the LA Times, but Who Would Invest? | Analysis
As a precursor to a planned IPO, the Forbes-listed billionaire is circulating a private placement offering doc that is laden with the downsides that overshadow much happy talk
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Why CNN Is Going All-In On Streaming — Again | Analysis
Alex MacCallum tells TheWrap that Tuesday’s All Access launch is a crucial step in the network’s direct-to-consumer future. After the CNN+ bust, will cord-cutters buy in?
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The Public Deserves to Know What Trump Is Doing to the ‘People’s House’ | Analysis
News outlets overcame reporting obstacles this week to chronicle the sudden, shocking demolition of the White House’s East Wing, a story that one Washington Post editor says “hits you in the gut”
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CNN In Flux as Warner Bros. Discovery Mulls Sale: ‘People Want This Phase to Be Over’
With prospective suitors from Comcast to Paramount eyeing CNN’s parent company, network staffers grapple with more uncertainty and hope for a responsible steward rather than a “scavenger”
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Zohran Mamdani’s Flood-the-Zone Media Strategy Looks Like a Winning One | Analysis
As Election Day approaches, the NYC mayoral frontrunner is everywhere from the New York Times to TikTok to Fox News, and urging Democrats to “take the case to every person”
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