Media News Daily: Top Stories for 11/15/2026

Deepfake Network Spreads False U.S.-Canada Trade Claims

Researchers at McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy identified a network of at least 293 TikTok and Instagram accounts using real people’s faces with AI-generated voices and altered lip movements to spread misleading political content about the U.S.-Canada trade dispute. The network posted 3,201 videos between August and early November, generating 22.1 million views. One fabricated claim about a supposed 48-hour Trump ultimatum and canceled defense contracts alone drew more than 5 million views. Researchers said the operation’s origin and ultimate purpose remain unclear. (Read More) (CTV News Rating)

LGBTQ Television Representation Drops Sharply

GLAAD’s latest Where We Are on TV report found 369 LGBTQ characters across scripted broadcast, cable, and streaming television during the 2025-26 season, down from 489 the previous year, a decline of nearly 25%. Transgender representation fell from 33 characters to seven, and none of those seven are currently scheduled to return next season. LGBTQ characters of color also declined from 50% to 44% of the total. GLAAD argues the reductions exceed the broader decline in U.S. scripted television production. (Read More) (The Hill Rating)

CBS Reportedly Debated El-Sayed Muslim Brotherhood Story

CBS News reportedly faced internal disagreement over an October investigation examining alleged connections between then-Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood. Zeteo reported that standards officials and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski questioned whether the story had sufficient evidence and raised concerns about insinuation and guilt by association, while other editors supported publication. A CBS source disputed the characterization of an extraordinary clash, telling Mediaite that the article went through a normal editorial process and that its underlying reporting has not been retracted or formally challenged. (Read More) (Mediaite Rating)