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Low-Octane Gaslighting – THE ATLANTIC
How very Stephen Glass of her.
This one is rather bizarre.
At The Atlantic, writer Elizabeth Bruenig detailed her experience of losing a child who contracted measles. This came as a jarring dose of news to many in the industry, and they began to reach out. Then they began to look into the matter. Then, they came to a realization; this story was actually not a report, but a dose of fiction? But some began to notice that at the end of the piece was this…disclaimer?
This story is based on extensive reporting and interviews with physicians, including those who have cared directly for patients with measles.
It is basically Bruenig drawing up a composite false scenario based on her speaking with various people involved with studying the disease. The disclaimer does not exactly make this clear, either.
But some in media circles attest that the initial publishing of the piece had no such note at the end. At Nieman Labs, Laura Hazard Owen reached out to Bruenig, who had this odd description of her piece:
It is a hypothetical account of a very real phenomenon based on careful reporting. I would place it somewhere on the creative nonfiction spectrum.
Owen then added an update to her piece, after hearing from others who received the promotional release of the article. After one heard back from The Atlantic with an opaque explanation, it was at that time that the outlet added the disclaimer. As Owens writes:
This information is significant to me because it suggests that within The Atlantic there was confusion about whether the piece was fictional.
You thought your unvaccinated daughter had a cold. It could be a week before she's diagnosed with measles. By then, the virus “has multiplied and descended upon her lungs, kidneys, tonsils, and spleen, down to the marrow of her bones.” Elizabeth Bruenig writes about how a child… pic.twitter.com/fTZMHGLbUq
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 13, 2026
Gilded Reframe – WASHINGTON POST
We are not sure that is the accurate definition.
In covering this revelation on The Atlantic's work of fiction, Scott Nover is as apologetic over this writing, partly due, it is guessed, to Bruenig being a former Washington Post opinion writer.
Even so, referring to the article as her “account” of losing her child is rather off the mark of accuracy.
Elizabeth Bruenig’s account of a mother’s experience learning her child will die of measles has remained one of the Atlantic’s most read stories since it was published.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 19, 2026
But some say the story felt misleading once they learned it was reported fiction. https://t.co/1hf3Svinmy
Prose & Contradiction – MS NOW
It takes some talent to disregard oneself in a report.
On her lightly regarded primetime telecast, Jen Psaki was covering this week’s controversy with Stephen Colbert and the “cancelled” interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
The hostess made an amazing spin move in her coverage, as she began her segment on the matter by attesting to CBS announcing how it was an in-house decision, and even reading the statement from the network that ultimately it was the production that decided to pull the interview.
She then spent the balance of her coverage completely contradicting herself and said the network forced the cancellation because of the Trump administration.
This is an extremely clear example of how the MSM lies and pushes false narratives.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) February 18, 2026
CBS did not prohibit or block Colbert's show from airing the Talarico interview. CBS just informed him that if he had Talarico on, he might have to have Jasmine Crockett on too.
Last night Jen… pic.twitter.com/gh5wLGyg4O
Pathological Media Amnesia – CBS NEWS
Seriously, how do you not know this?
During the White House press briefing, Karoline Leavitt was understandably caught off balance when she fielded a question about the president. Senior reporter for CBS News, Ed O’Keefe, asked, “Where, or when does the president believe he has been falsely called a racist?” The press secretary was flustered by the obviousness, but assured O’Keefe they would get some instances put together and distributed to the media.
The Trump War Room account wasted no time in posting those examples – with one in particular standing out.
This reporter literally called President Trump's tweets racist in 2019. https://t.co/HlgnNg9DZA pic.twitter.com/Crjf26Qttj
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 18, 2026
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – Channel 9 Sports, Australia
Danika — Australian for four beers deep…
In a live feed from Milano, an Australian sports commentator, Danika Mason, was doing a hit for a morning show. Given the time difference, she was broadcasting during the nighttime hours in Italy, and by all appearances, she appeared to be, putting it charitably, deep into her cups.
Mason gave a disconnected and slurring commentary that was amusing, but tough to follow given her accent…and condition.
Social media has lit up with speculation after popular Channel 9 sports and rugby league host Danika Mason appeared on morning television struggling to get her words out while covering the Winter Olympics in Italy.
— The Advertiser (@theTiser) February 18, 2026
📌 READ MORE: https://t.co/HKql0kBobM pic.twitter.com/G3yCeBsJFj
