Media News Daily: Top Stories for 10/20/2025

Wall Street Journal Warns of Political Retribution in Trump-Era Indictments

The Wall Street Journal has voiced concern over former President Donald Trump’s recent targeting of political opponents, calling the indictment of ex-national security adviser John Bolton “perilous retribution.” The Journal’s editorial emphasized the risks faced by those opposing or working with Trump. Bolton, long a critic of Trump, was indicted for allegedly sharing over a thousand pages of personal notes and defense-related materials with family members. The charges follow indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James, led by Trump’s former attorney Lindsey Halligan, now interim U.S. attorney in Virginia. The Journal defended Bolton’s integrity, suggesting the charges may be politically motivated. (Read More) (The Hill Rating)

Paramount Skydance to Cut 2,000 US Jobs Amid $2 Billion Restructuring

Paramount Skydance will lay off approximately 2,000 employees in the U.S. starting the week of October 27 as part of a major $2 billion cost-cutting plan under new CEO David Ellison. The cuts come after the company’s $8.4 billion merger in August. International layoffs are also expected, with more details to be announced in the Q3 earnings report on November 10. The company had around 18,600 staff as of late 2024. This move was anticipated following earlier reports from August. (Read More) (The Guardian Rating)

Wikipedia Reports 8% Drop in Human Pageviews Amid Rise of AI and Social Video

Wikipedia is experiencing an 8% year-over-year decline in human pageviews, according to Wikimedia Foundation’s Marshall Miller. An update to the site’s bot-detection systems revealed much of its traffic surge earlier this year was from bots, not real users. Miller attributes the decline to generative AI tools and social platforms increasingly providing direct answers, diverting traffic from Wikipedia. He warns of the long-term risks this poses to content quality and donations, as fewer users may mean fewer volunteers and supporters. The Foundation is urging AI companies to credit and link to original sources and is working on new initiatives to re-engage readers. (Read More) (TechCrunch Rating)