Clare Malone
Clare Malone is a staff writer at The New Yorker covering the media business, journalism, and politics. She previously wrote for FiveThirtyEight, where she reported on class, race, and electoral politics, and covered the 2016 and 2020 Presidential campaigns. Her writing has also appeared in New York, The Atlantic, GQ, The Columbia Journalism Review, and Harper’s.
Is the TikTok Ban a Chance to Rethink the Whole Internet?
The billionaire Frank McCourt is launching a “people’s bid” to buy the app, replace its addictive algorithm, and give users greater control of their data. Is it a publicity stunt or a sincere attempt to reform the digital age?
Bearing Witness to American Exploits
Peter van Agtmael’s images of war and domestic strife are arresting and almost cinematically spare, but it is the careful narrative arc of his new book, “Look at the U.S.A.,” that deepens the viewer’s experience.
R.F.K., Jr.,’s Next Move
From the daily newsletter: Clare Malone on R.F.K., Jr.,’s health crusade. Plus: more on Trump’s extreme Cabinet; the naïveté of post-election despair; and the gripping drama of “Say Nothing.”
The Surprise Selzer Poll from Iowa
From the daily newsletter: a shocking new poll. Plus: civil-war prep; courting the Kamala Harris vote; and the life of Quincy Jones.
The Fight Over Truth in a Blue-Collar Pennsylvania County
Lackawanna County was once a Democratic stronghold. In 2024, it is a hotly contested battleground, where the stakes go far beyond politics.
Is There a Method to Donald Trump’s Madness?
The former President’s appeal has always been his sui-generis persona and politics—take him as he is—but, this year, the campaign seems more devoted to fan service than anything else.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Steps Aside for Donald Trump
As Kennedy’s 2024 election campaign collapses, he has embraced a new role as the former President’s latest ally.
How Ezra Klein Helped Set the Stage for Kamala Harris’s Nomination
The Times columnist was an early advocate for replacing Joe Biden at the top of the ticket; in recent weeks, his podcast has seemed like the smoke-filled back room of the Democratic Party.
What Does Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Actually Want?
The third-party Presidential candidate has a troubled past, a shambolic campaign, and some surprisingly good poll numbers.
The Culture Wars Inside the New York Times
Joe Kahn, the newspaper’s executive editor, wants to incentivize his staff to take on difficult stories, even when they might engender scrutiny, or backlash.
Is Hunterbrook Media a News Outlet or a Hedge Fund?
The hybrid media-finance company wants to monetize investigative journalism in the public interest. Is it a visionary game changer or a cynical ploy?
The Face of Donald Trump’s Deceptively Savvy Media Strategy
The former President and his spokesman, Steven Cheung, like to hurl insults at their political rivals, but behind the scenes the campaign has maintained a cozy relationship with much of the mainstream press.
Is the Media Prepared for an Extinction-Level Event?
Ads are scarce, search and social traffic is dying, and readers are burned out. The future will require fundamentally rethinking the press’s relationship to its audience.
The Meme-ification of American Politics
Why more and more voters will be forming opinions in the 2024 election based on a funny video that their cousin’s husband’s sister shared in the group chat.
The Deadly Challenges of War Coverage in Gaza
Clarissa Ward, the first Western reporter to enter Gaza without an I.D.F. escort since October 7th, has faced accusations of pro-Israel bias even as she strives to highlight Arab suffering.
The Fight for a Free Press in the Muscogee Nation
A new documentary on an outlet’s struggle to cover its own tribal government charts the implicit challenge that the American media writ large has faced in the past eight years.
Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths”
In his standup specials, the former “Patriot Act” host often recounts harrowing experiences he’s faced as an Asian American and Muslim American. Does it matter that much of it never happened to him?
CNN’s New White Knight
After a turbulent year under new ownership, the cable news network is hoping that Mark Thompson, a veteran of the Times and the BBC, can turn things around.
David Zaslav, Hollywood Antihero
The C.E.O. of a conglomerate that includes Warner Bros. studios, CNN, and HBO takes on an entertainment business in turmoil.
How Elon Musk Could Affect the 2024 Election
The personal politics of Twitter’s owner wouldn’t matter so much if he hadn’t also demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for pettiness.
Is the TikTok Ban a Chance to Rethink the Whole Internet?
The billionaire Frank McCourt is launching a “people’s bid” to buy the app, replace its addictive algorithm, and give users greater control of their data. Is it a publicity stunt or a sincere attempt to reform the digital age?
Bearing Witness to American Exploits
Peter van Agtmael’s images of war and domestic strife are arresting and almost cinematically spare, but it is the careful narrative arc of his new book, “Look at the U.S.A.,” that deepens the viewer’s experience.
R.F.K., Jr.,’s Next Move
From the daily newsletter: Clare Malone on R.F.K., Jr.,’s health crusade. Plus: more on Trump’s extreme Cabinet; the naïveté of post-election despair; and the gripping drama of “Say Nothing.”
The Surprise Selzer Poll from Iowa
From the daily newsletter: a shocking new poll. Plus: civil-war prep; courting the Kamala Harris vote; and the life of Quincy Jones.
The Fight Over Truth in a Blue-Collar Pennsylvania County
Lackawanna County was once a Democratic stronghold. In 2024, it is a hotly contested battleground, where the stakes go far beyond politics.
Is There a Method to Donald Trump’s Madness?
The former President’s appeal has always been his sui-generis persona and politics—take him as he is—but, this year, the campaign seems more devoted to fan service than anything else.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Steps Aside for Donald Trump
As Kennedy’s 2024 election campaign collapses, he has embraced a new role as the former President’s latest ally.
How Ezra Klein Helped Set the Stage for Kamala Harris’s Nomination
The Times columnist was an early advocate for replacing Joe Biden at the top of the ticket; in recent weeks, his podcast has seemed like the smoke-filled back room of the Democratic Party.
What Does Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Actually Want?
The third-party Presidential candidate has a troubled past, a shambolic campaign, and some surprisingly good poll numbers.
The Culture Wars Inside the New York Times
Joe Kahn, the newspaper’s executive editor, wants to incentivize his staff to take on difficult stories, even when they might engender scrutiny, or backlash.
Is Hunterbrook Media a News Outlet or a Hedge Fund?
The hybrid media-finance company wants to monetize investigative journalism in the public interest. Is it a visionary game changer or a cynical ploy?
The Face of Donald Trump’s Deceptively Savvy Media Strategy
The former President and his spokesman, Steven Cheung, like to hurl insults at their political rivals, but behind the scenes the campaign has maintained a cozy relationship with much of the mainstream press.
Is the Media Prepared for an Extinction-Level Event?
Ads are scarce, search and social traffic is dying, and readers are burned out. The future will require fundamentally rethinking the press’s relationship to its audience.
The Meme-ification of American Politics
Why more and more voters will be forming opinions in the 2024 election based on a funny video that their cousin’s husband’s sister shared in the group chat.
The Deadly Challenges of War Coverage in Gaza
Clarissa Ward, the first Western reporter to enter Gaza without an I.D.F. escort since October 7th, has faced accusations of pro-Israel bias even as she strives to highlight Arab suffering.
The Fight for a Free Press in the Muscogee Nation
A new documentary on an outlet’s struggle to cover its own tribal government charts the implicit challenge that the American media writ large has faced in the past eight years.
Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths”
In his standup specials, the former “Patriot Act” host often recounts harrowing experiences he’s faced as an Asian American and Muslim American. Does it matter that much of it never happened to him?
CNN’s New White Knight
After a turbulent year under new ownership, the cable news network is hoping that Mark Thompson, a veteran of the Times and the BBC, can turn things around.
David Zaslav, Hollywood Antihero
The C.E.O. of a conglomerate that includes Warner Bros. studios, CNN, and HBO takes on an entertainment business in turmoil.
How Elon Musk Could Affect the 2024 Election
The personal politics of Twitter’s owner wouldn’t matter so much if he hadn’t also demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for pettiness.