Media News Daily: Top Stories for 10/23/2026

This page hosts daily news stories about the media, social media, and the journalism industry. Get the latest Hirings and Firings, Media Transactions, Controversies, Censorship Issues, and more.

Politico Corrects Wiles Story but Rejects White House Pressure

Politico corrected part of its reporting on White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles after administration-supplied messages indicated that former press secretary Katie Zacharia, not Wiles, sought a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity. The correction followed a White House demand that Politico retract or amend three stories, apologize to President Donald Trump and Wiles, and remove disputed reporting or face unspecified consequences. Politico has not withdrawn its separate reporting about possible turmoil involving Wiles and has defended its broader newsgathering while objecting to government threats over its coverage. (Read More) (The Hill Rating)

Judge Orders Trump Deposition in BBC Defamation Case

A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. Trump alleges that a BBC documentary deceptively edited portions of his January 6, 2021, speech in a way that falsely suggested he directly encouraged violence. BBC attorneys argued that Trump had repeatedly delayed his deposition, while U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett warned that failure to comply with the court’s schedule could result in sanctions, potentially including dismissal of the lawsuit. The BBC has apologized for the editing but denies that it defamed Trump. (Read More) (AP News Rating)

Fake Polling Firm Admits Fabricating Election Data

Wedgewood Polls has acknowledged fabricating most of its polling data after major news organizations and polling aggregators cited its surveys. The organization said the operation was an experiment to show weaknesses in how polling data is scrutinized, describing the process of gaining credibility as “far too easy.” The New York Times subsequently removed Wedgewood surveys from its polling tracker, while other outlets that had cited the firm also faced questions about their verification practices. (Read More) (Mediaite Rating)