Accessibility links
David Folkenflik Folkenflik is NPR's media correspondent.
David Folkenflik 2018 square
Stories By

David Folkenflik

Media

Is There Bias In Media's Coverage Of Gay Marriage Fight?

If conservatives think that the mainstream media has been giving advocates of gay marriage sympathetic coverage, they may have a point. A recent Pew Study, for example, found almost equal amounts of stories giving affirming or neutral coverage of gay marriage, but only a smattering of coverage sympathetic to the arguments of those opposed to it. But journalists are wrestling with aspiring for objectivity, reflecting changes in public mores, and, in many cases, addressing their own sense that gay marriage is a civil right just like interracial marriage was in the 1950s and 1960s. Much of the coverage seems to embody a sense that opponents to gay marriage are on the wrong side of history.

Is There Bias In Media's Coverage Of Gay Marriage Fight?

Listen · 4:15
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/196338157/196338174" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Law

Fox Disputes Justice Department's Stand On Subpoena

The Justice Department is at a standoff with Fox News over whether it informed the cable channel and its parent company News Corp. of a wide-ranging subpoena for a Fox reporter's phone records. Fox said it was taken by surprise. But the Justice Department said it told News Corp. by email, fax and certified letter of the subpoena — and told reporter James Rosen directly.

Fox Disputes Justice Department's Stand On Subpoena

Listen · 3:26
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/187009372/187009357" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Fox News Reporter James Rosen Caught Up In Federal Probe

There is word of another controversial leak investigation by the Department of Justice. The target is Fox News reporter James Rosen, who was monitored by the department after breaking a story about North Korea's nuclear weapons program in 2009.

Fox News Reporter James Rosen Caught Up In Federal Probe

Listen · 3:38
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/185688357/185723876" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Media Covers Itself In Privacy Debacles

Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's David Folkenflik about the Justice Department's seizure of phone records of Associated Press reporters and editors, and Bloomberg's secret monitoring of its sources' and customers' activities.

Media Covers Itself In Privacy Debacles

Listen · 4:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/184989659/184990183" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Bloomberg News Apologizes For Tracking Subscribers

Bloomberg News' Editor in Chief Matthew Winkler has apologized for the use by reporters of proprietary data about subscribers to the company's business terminals. The practice was entrenched in a newsroom that was carved out of the lucrative terminals leasing division.

Bloomberg News Apologizes For Tracking Subscribers

Listen · 4:02
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/183715000/183700351" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
In Newsrooms, Some Immigration Terms Are Going Out Of Style

Protesters demonstrate in downtown Orlando, Fla., on May 1, 2006. Most news outlets have long abandoned the use of the term "illegals." Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Media

In Newsrooms, Some Immigration Terms Are Going Out Of Style

In April, the Associated Press decided the word "illegal" should only be used to describe actions, not people. It's one of several major news outlets that have been reconsidering how to refer to people who are in this country illegally.

In Newsrooms, Some Immigration Terms Are Going Out Of Style

Listen · 5:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/182637402/182656428" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Koch Brothers' Newspaper Takeover Could Spark 'Culture Clash'

The Tribune Co. is considering the sale of all of its daily newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times, whose building is pictured above. David McNew/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
David McNew/Getty Images

Media

Koch Brothers' Newspaper Takeover Could Spark 'Culture Clash'

David and Charles Koch, billionaires known these days for their politics, are interested in acquiring a collection of daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and The Baltimore Sun. If they bought those papers, what would they do with them?

Koch Brothers' Newspaper Takeover Could Spark 'Culture Clash'

Listen · 4:42
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/179179653/179182085" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
China Seeks Soft Power Influence in U.S. Through CCTV

Before joining CCTV America, Phillip T.K. Yin was an anchor and reporter for Bloomberg Television. CCTV America hide caption

toggle caption
CCTV America

Media

China Seeks Soft Power Influence in U.S. Through CCTV

China Central Television's American offshoot has set up shop just two blocks from the White House. Some say the government-owned English channel is helping redefine acceptable media coverage in China, while others see it as a soft Chinese power play.

China Seeks Soft Power Influence in U.S. Through CCTV

Listen · 5:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/179020185/179067423" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Coveted Pulitzer Prizes Announced

The winners of the 2013 Pulitzer Prizes, with awards for journalism, fiction, poetry, drama and music were announced Monday. Among the winners are Adam Johnson for his novel The Orphan Master's Son and The Denver Post for its breaking news coverage of the mass shooting at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater in July 2012. Co-host Robert Siegel speaks with NPR's David Folkenflik about the winners.

Coveted Pulitzer Prizes Announced

Listen · 4:49
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/177369916/177358201" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Great Long-Form Journalism, Just Clicks Away

As newspapers around the country struggle with declining subscription rates and smaller staffs, passionate, long-form digital storytelling is creating new ways of delivering richly detailed reporting. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Media

Great Long-Form Journalism, Just Clicks Away

In the age of digital media, many newspapers have been forced to gut their staffs, leading some media analysts to sound the death knell for enterprise reporting and long-form storytelling. Not so fast, say the craft's most passionate advocates.

Great Long-Form Journalism, Just Clicks Away

Listen · 5:42
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/176954687/177067515" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Television

NBC Has More Problems Than Just 'Tonight Show' Hosts

NBC announced Wednesday that Jimmy Fallon will take over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno next spring. But NBC has a raft of other problems including a rocky ride in prime time. Plus, it fell from first place last fall to fifth in February — behind not just the other broadcast networks but the Spanish language Univision.

NBC Has More Problems Than Just 'Tonight Show' Hosts

Listen · 1:41
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/176201148/176207708" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

NPR To End Production Of 'Talk Of The Nation'

On Friday, NPR news executives announced that the network's mid-day talk show, Talk of the Nation (TOTN), would cease production this summer. Replacing TOTN will be Here and Now, WBUR's daily show which will now be co-produced with NPR.

NPR To End Production Of 'Talk Of The Nation'

Listen · 3:39
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/175722013/175721988" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

NPR To Drop Call-In Show 'Talk Of The Nation'

NPR executives announced Friday that they will stop production of Talk of the Nation this summer. The call-in program will be replaced with Here and Now, a newsmagazine that will be a co-production of Boston member station WBUR and NPR.

NPR To Drop Call-In Show 'Talk Of The Nation'

Listen · 4:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/175686531/175687294" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript