Mediaite’s Most Influential in News Media 2020
65. The Lincoln Project
In late 2019, a group of Republican operatives – all of them with solid conservative bona fides – launched The Lincoln Project, a SuperPAC dedicated to defeating both President Trump the candidate, and Trumpism itself. The group, helmed by the likes of Steve Schmidt, Rick Wilson and George Conway, a Republican lawyer and husband to Trump loyalist Kellyanne Conway, put out dramatic and… some might even say Trumpian ads. Nothing was off limits – not Trump’s physical or mental health, not his children, and certainly not his policies. The ads ruffled feathers on both sides of the aisle; some Democrats were suspicious of the group’s true motivations. But The Lincoln Project must have done something right: the group raised almost $83 million in 2020. With names like “Covita,” “Don the Con,” and “Mourning in America,” the group’s ads went viral online, and ran in swing states and on Fox News. At least some of the ads got under Trump’s skin, sparking an outraged Twitter response from the president. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner even threatened to sue. Since the election, The Lincoln Project has made it clear that it will continue its fight against Trumpism, and while it’s unclear whether the group’s ads swayed any undecided voters, it’s likely that The Lincoln Project has raised the bar for SuperPAC ad production teams across the political spectrum.
64. Dan Bongino
Pro-Trump political commentator Dan Bongino is a loud voice, both in the sense of reach and actual volume. And this year he’s become one of the central figures in the alternate web presence movement on the right. That is, as a part-owner of “alternatives” Parler and Rumble (designed to be conservative havens from Twitter and YouTube respectively) and proprietor of the Bongino Report (intended to be a rival Drudge Report after Drudge fell out of favor with Trump-world) Bongino is at the front of a trend that continues to explode despite mockery and vilification from traditional media and Democrats. Even so, he maintains a busy presence on those competitor sites, including Twitter where his nearly 3 million followers constitutes an influential audience all on its own. Not to mention his posts are consistently the most-shared on Facebook. There’s also his regular appearances on Fox News and his popular radio show, platforms used to pump out a never-ending cascade of lib-owning.
63. Rashida Jones
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
When Rashida Jones steps into her new role as president of MSNBC in February 2021, she will be the first Black woman to head a major television news network. She’s taking over at an unsure time for the industry – MSNBC’s boomed during the Trump years, but viewer retention in a Biden presidency is a concern – nonetheless, her track record is strong. Earlier this year, she oversaw MSNBC’s daytime and weekend programming, while also leading breaking news and major events coverage at the network. She’s credited with guiding MSNBC’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, the social justice protests over the summer, and the 2020 election. She also helped prepare correspondent Kristen Welker for moderating the final presidential debate, for which Welker received high praise. Jones’ predecessor, Phil Griffin, seemed to have been the ultimate survivor at MSNBC with talk of his ouster beginning many years before Jones eventually got the nod. All eyes are now on her to see how MSNBC moves forward in 2021.
62. Ben Smith
Ben Smith’s departure from BuzzFeed News this year was one of the more talked about career moves in the industry. In an era when the resurgent New York Times is dominating — sucking talent, eyeballs and subscription revenue from the digital media darlings of yesteryear — who else could tempt the BuzzFeed News editor-in-chief to leave other the Gray Lady? Dean Baquet coaxed Smith to join the newspaper as media columnist, a position once held by legendary reporter David Carr. Those are big shoes to fill, but Smith has pulled it off, delivering a must read Sunday night column that rarely fails to enthrall media and politics junkies — or deliver an impressive scoop. His columns have been bold, his targets big. Leaving the top job of a site he essentially created from scratch to take a position as a columnist is a risky move, but so far it has paid off for Smith, the Times, and its readers.
61. Hallie Jackson
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Routinely holding Trump officials’ feet to the fire, Hallie Jackson distinguished herself as a tireless and ardent reporter this year, working both as NBC News Chief White House Correspondent and the host of MSNBC Live daily at 10 a.m. Jackson earned high praise for her October interview with White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern, during which she asked him when President Trump’s last negative coronavirus test was six times — cutting the interview short as he continuously dodged her questions. Jackson also tangled with Marc Short, Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff, regarding a lack of coronavirus precautions. The anchor never held back during interviews, and even consistently broke news on the Trump administration. More opportunities in the briefing room would have surely helped Jackson move up this list — as Kayleigh McEnany played possum for much of the second half of the year. But frankly, Jackson seems destined for stardom in the studio anyway. Expect to see more of her there in 2021.
60. Abby Phillip
Abby Phillip is a seasoned journalist who began her career as a White House correspondent for Politico, but her star his risen since joining CNN in 2017. As a White House reporter during the Trump administration, Phillip was among the reporters — particularly women — whose persistent questioning put them on the receiving end of President Trump’s ire. The 2020 presidential campaign saw Phillip draw prestigious assignments like moderating a presidential primary debate, and covering Trump’s reelection campaign on the trail — all while managing to avoid another lizard attack.
But this 31-year-old correspondent’s influence is perhaps best exemplified by her always-impressive presence on CNN’s political panels and anchor segments, where she has consistently provided clear and authoritative analysis, as well as the occasional unsparing commentary. In 2021, Phillip will continue to be an important voice in cable news.
59. Ali Velshi
MSNBC
It’s rare that a cable news journalist can act as understudy for a network’s flagship prime time show, host his own weekend program, and also routinely leave the studio for at-times harrowing, on-the-ground reportage as well. But for Ali Velshi, perhaps the best utility player on MSNBC’s roster, it’s all in a year’s work. He’s really the network’s Swiss Army knife. Viewers saw him calling out the media’s double standard for women in politics, getting into it with Greta Van Susteren over the “My Pillow Guy” of all people and, of course, reporting remotely from the civil unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd. This intrepid newsman was so close to the action that he got hit by a rubber bullet, sparking a bizarre attack line from none other than President Trump. Need further evidence of Velshi’s value to MSNBC? Who did the network call to cover their tent-pole show when host Rachel Maddow was tending to a sick partner? None other than the five-tool player, Mr. Ali Velshi.
58. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain of The View:
It is a testament to this show’s staying power that despite having to film remotely for much of the year (a major blow to a program that thrives on fast-paced exchanges), and despite the prolonged absence of one of its stars, The View maintained its must-watch status throughout the 2020 news cycle. The daytime talk show remained a must visit for prominent figures this year, including John Bolton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — with the hosts rarely, if ever, holding their tongues. Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar consistently delivered crushing assessments of President Donald Trump and the GOP, sometimes directly to their faces, as Sunny Hostin lent an astute legal mind, and Meghan McCain continued to hold the left accountable (all while preparing to welcome her newborn). Likely bracing for McCain’s impending maternity leave, The View welcomed back former co-host Sara Haines this year, adding a fresh perspective to the (virtual) table.
57. Margaret Brennan
Fox News Sunday may get the headlines, and Meet the Press might have an unrivaled legacy, but the Margaret Brennan-hosted Face the Nation is increasingly becoming a major player on Sunday mornings. Thanks to Brennan’s top bookings and even-keeled but hard-hitting interviews, the show is catching up to its rivals, cutting into NBC’s lead in the key demographic. A key turning point might have been a troika of interviews over the late summer and early fall with Trump administration officials. Brennan’s August 16 faceoff with Jared Kushner, September 27 showdown with Mark Meadows, and October 4 encounter with National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien were textbook news interviews. In those segments, the officials were held to account over the White House’s coronavirus shortcomings. But despite getting schooled in some of those interviews, administration officials — in deference to Brennan’s reputation for even-handedness — keep coming back.
56. Nikole Hannah-Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones kicked off 2020 in spectacular fashion, winning the Pulitzer Prize for the New York Times’ 1619 Project. That project — a collection of essays which examined the founding of the United States through the lens of slavery — and Hannah-Jones’ contribution to it became an instant Rorschach test. When racial tensions exploded in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, the project was the subject of attacks from the highest levels of our government. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, and even the president of the United States assailed Hannah-Jones’ work, and took steps to try and outlaw its use in educational curricula. Partisan criticism aside, the project led to heated debate over a central claim made by Jones: that the colonists fought the Revolutionary War in order to preserve slavery. Many historians decried that statement as false, and the Times ultimately issued a “clarification” — but the conversation she sparked over our nation’s history thrashes on.
