WBUR WBUR is Boston's NPR, featuring NPR news and programs such as On Point and Here & Now.

You said you wanted it!
And even if you didn't!

I'm hosting NPR's Here and Now

A day stuffed with news like a Thanksgiving turkey - with side servings of fun.

Tune in and join @TongScott and me - listen/stream on WBUR.org or other NPR stations across the land

WBUR WBUR is Boston's NPR, featuring NPR news and programs such as On Point and Here & Now.

Friends! I'm hosting NPR's Here and Now w @tongscott

Show has changes atop Apple and the Fed... conflict with Iran... a champion of libraries... proof early ancestors of mammals were hatched in eggs and more

On WBUR.org and other NPR stations

Friends! I'll be hosting NPR's Here and Now this week with Scott Tong, today through Thursday.

Tune in to a show crackling with news and diversion

Coming up live at 12 noon ET....on WBUR and public radio stations across the country.

Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's takeover of rival Tegna until trial U.S. Judge Trevor Nunley ruled that consumers could suffer irreparable harm if Nexstar integrated Tegna's stations into its own operations ahead of an antitrust trial.

NEWS: Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's deal for Tegna until trial

My story:

www.npr.org/2026/04/17/n...

Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's takeover of rival Tegna until trial U.S. Judge Trevor Nunley ruled that consumers could suffer irreparable harm if Nexstar integrated Tegna's stations into its own operations ahead of an antitrust trial.

NEWS: Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's deal for Tegna until trial

My story:

www.npr.org/2026/04/17/n...

Visionary NPR leader Kevin Klose, who led network to new heights, has died Klose led NPR for a decade starting in 1998, a period of incredible growth for the public media network.

NEWS: Former NPR CEO Kevin Klose, a buoyant champion of journalism and transformative leader of the public broadcasting giant, has died.

My tribute for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/04/15/n...

2 local TV giants merged. Then a court stepped in Local TV giant Nexstar's $6.2 billion deal to acquire rival Tegna won speedy approval from Trump administration regulators. But it faces a tough challenge from a pair of antitrust lawsuits.

Local TV giant Nexstar consummated its acquisition of Tegna just hours after it was green-lit by Trump's regulators.

Now a US judge is giving serious weight to lawsuits alleging it should be found illegal.

My story for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/04/14/n...

Nexstar CEO Perry Sook refuses to answer questions after today's hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction that seeks to block his company's $6.2 billion acquisition of peer broadcaster TEGNA.

📸: @matthewkeys.net

Federal judge finds Trump violated free speech by ordering NPR defunded A U.S. District Court judge found that President Trump's executive ordering the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.

A U.S. District Court judge found that President Trump's executive ordering the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment. n.pr/3PUBm6t

Friends in the PNW and beyond!

I will join Doug Nadvornick on Spokane Public Radio at about 8.20a and 8.50a PT to talk about journalism and public radio -

Join us! spokanepublicradio.org or 91.1 FM!

U.S. Considers Withholding H.I.V. Aid Unless Zambia Expands Minerals Access

The Trump administration is considering withholding HIV treatment from Zambia (where 1.3M people rely on it) if Zambia doesn't give the US more access to critical minerals, according to a draft memo prepared by the State Department's Africa Bureau for Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

ALERT: Professional news. Nine days after leaving CBS, I have found a new professional home:

Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor for
@meidastouch.com

Voice of America staffers sue, alleging Kari Lake put on propaganda Voice of America staffers are suing Trump administration official Kari Lake, alleging she put pro-Trump propaganda on its airwaves. She has lost numerous rulings of late.

NEW: A fresh lawsuit from veteran Voice of America journalists alleges @KariLake put propaganda on the network's broadcasts.

My story for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/03/23/n...

Read more here from @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social :

"FCC approves the merger of local television owners Nexstar and Tegna"
www.npr.org/2026/03/20/n...
via @npr.org

Judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work in rebuke to Kari Lake A federal judge has ordered more than a thousand Voice of America staffers back to work by Monday. It's a major defeat for the Trump administration's effort to cut the news outlet to the bones.

In rebuke to Kari Lake, US judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work

My story for NPR:
www.npr.org/2026/03/17/n...

Judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work in rebuke to Kari Lake A federal judge has ordered more than a thousand Voice of America staffers back to work by Monday. It's a major defeat for the Trump administration's effort to cut the news outlet to the bones.

In rebuke to Kari Lake, US judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work

My story for NPR:
www.npr.org/2026/03/17/n...

It would probably benefit from a mention or disclosure of that prior working relationship. Collins left 2+ years ago. I have no knowledge of any ongoing close personal ties.

I think BZ's story is newsworthy on its own terms. Obvs it lacks the behind the scenes ethical Qs of the Rolling Stone case.

🔊 Listen Now: FCC chair threatens broadcasters' licenses over negative coverage of the war in Iran Morning Edition on NPR One | 3:45

⁦‪@BrendanCarrFCC‬⁩ threats to broadcasters over coverage of the war in Iran appear paper thin and would likely violate 1st A protections

But they're part of Trump White House drive to shut down Qs in a time of war

My chat on Morning Edition
one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5748...

Dark money group offers influencers $1,500 for posts attacking Chicago Democratic primary candidate Progressive House candidate Kat Abughazaleh told MS NOW the secretive campaign is “filled with false and defamatory claims.”

EXCLUSIVE: A dark money group is offering influencers $1,500 for posts attacking Chicago Democratic primary candidate @katmabu.bsky.social

www.ms.now/news/kat-abu...

Jared Kushner Solicits Funds for His Firm While Working as Mideast Envoy

Oh www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/b...

TikTok Investors Set to Pay $10 Billion Fee to Trump Administration

"Mr. Vance has said the deal will value TikTok at $14 billion. That would mean the transaction fee is about 70 percent of the company’s worth." www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/b...

Friends! Why did a judge rule that Trump administration official Kari Lake acted illegally in gutting the Voice of America? And why does it matter?

I'll break it down on NPR's 1A

Tune in live on 10.06a ET on WAMU, WYPR or wherever you listen or stream

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

Friends! A US judge ruled that @KariLake has acted illegally - without proper legal authority - in running Voice of America and its federal parent agency.

I'll join @NPRinskeep at 6.45/8.45A on Morning Edition

My written story below. Tune in!

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America

My story for NPR and my chat on All Things Considered

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America He declared all of Lake's actions over the past year to be null and void, including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America.

If it holds up, his sweeping ruling would nullify just about everything she's done in the past year in trying to dismantle VoA and its sister networks.

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2026/03/08/n...

Paragraph five sets the table

"The Ellisons have staged what appears to be a lightning-swift ascent through social and legacy media relying heavily on their connection to the Oval Office."

Journalists at CNN are fearful for what's ahead if Paramount takes over - but want to just do the job

My conversation with @ailsachang on NPR's All Things Considered, coming up at 4.35/6.35p

Paramount and Warner Bros' deal is about merging studios, and a whole lot more The nearly $111 billion marriage would unite Paramount and Warner film studios, streamers and television properties — including CNN — under the control of the wealthy Ellison family.

Paramount, Warner Bros deal would unite film, news and social media forces in the age of Trump

My analysis for NPR:

www.npr.org/2026/02/27/n...

RFK Jr. made promises to get his job as health secretary. He's broken many of them In his confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told U.S. senators that he would not cut funding for vaccine research or change the nation's official vaccine recommendations. He did both.

In his confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told U.S. senators that he would not cut funding for vaccine research or change the nation's official vaccine recommendations. He did both. n.pr/46QDn9p

Hogsett hasn’t delivered a ‘Disclose Indy’ ethics portal. So we built one. We also obtained records not previously made public as promised.

In 2015, Indianapolis’ mayor promised a public portal for ethics filings, campaign finance records and city contracts. It never launched.

So, AJP-supported @mirrorindy.org, with the IndyStar built it — putting critical public records in one searchable place.