Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino

SPECIAL EPISODE: Jim Acosta on Trump’s Growing Influence Over the Media

Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino

Show Notes

This week, Jim Acosta joins Oliver and Jon for a special bonus edition of Power Lines! Fresh off congressional testimony, Acosta breaks down Trump’s growing influence over the press, media consolidation, CNN and CBS, and the rise of independent media.

They also explore how news organizations are responding to political pressure, why audiences are shifting away from traditional outlets, and what this moment means for the future of the media industry. Big thanks to Jim. Follow his work on YouTube, and if you’re new here, subscribe to this channel for more Power Lines. Also sign up for our daily newsletter at status.news for essential coverage of the media industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino

Oct 16, 2026

In a special episode of Power Lines, we publish exclusive audio from a stunning all-hands meeting in which Bari Weiss' handpicked foreign editor, Shayndi Raice, unleashed a lengthy tirade against her own CBS News journalists.

Oct 9, 2026

After completing his acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Ellison is facing questions about his relationship with Donald Trump and his plans for CNN. Jon shares what happened when he pressed Ellison directly on the Paramount lot, and Oliver reports on Anderson Cooper’s pointed questions for his new boss at an internal company town hall.

Oct 2, 2026

The future of CNN is coming into focus…at least for now. David Ellison has opened talks with Mark Thompson about extending his tenure as CNN’s chief. Oliver and Jon break down what the move signals to employees inside the network, what it could mean for CNN’s direction under Ellison, and where it leaves Bari Weiss, both now and down the road.

Sep 25, 2026

The anonymous source behind one of the stories that the White House used to justify its press ban was none other than JD Vance himself. We detail our exclusive reporting and get into the latest developments on Donald Trump’s war against the media.

See all episodes →