Actionable media intel: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of the conservative media ecosystem - FOX News, podcasts, and more. | Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,337 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (11+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Where are the new shows?
New Media Voices: Cornell, HGTV, Jack Smith, and Kevin Reddington
Leading FOX: Benjamin Netanyahu, James Carville, and Fat Bear Week
Trending: Christa Pike, Hasan Piker, and Pete Hegseth
What the Right is Writing: Gov. Bill Lee, Israeli Hero, the New York Times
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
Note: No Brand Brief on Friday. Have a great weekend.
A new Chaotic Era report finds that political show growth on YouTube is stalling across the board, echoing the New York Times’ August findings of declining viewership for major conservative shows.
The primary reason why? Too many shows.
But another metric stands out: new conservative podcast launches have slowed in 2026. Meanwhile, the left’s media ecosystem is already ramping up for the 2028 primary, with several new shows, including September launches of Crooked’s Still Counting and Catherine Rampell’s new show with The Bulwark.
What’s next? Expect the fight for views to drive more consolidation and partnerships across the conservative new media space. - NRB
🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 9/30
Kelly argues the Cornell University case was consensual drunken debauchery, not rape, while comparing to her experiences with FOX
She argues New York law requires complete physical incapacitation or forcible compulsion for rape charges, which Jane Doe’s own statement contradicts
Kelly still condemns the fraternity members’ immoral behavior and Snapchat messages while maintaining their conduct wasn’t criminal
She criticizes CNN anchor Jake Tapper for allegedly pressuring DA Matthew Van Houten to convene a grand jury despite lack of evidence
The Ben Shapiro Show - 9/30
Shapiro calls out former DOJ official Jack Smith for investigating over 400 Republicans including Sens. Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, and Ted Cruz, demanding Smith be disbarred or charged with perjury
He criticizes uninvolved media and celebrities for demanding punishment of Cornell University students before charges are filed in an alleged gang rape case
Shapiro highlights text evidence showing Jane Doe stated “none of the sexual stuff was illegal” two days after the alleged assault
He condemns Lindsay Clancy’s defense attorney Kevin Reddington for publicly identifying and criticizing the holdout juror
The Michael Knowles Show - 9/30
Knowles defends the attempted execution of Christa Pike, who tortured and murdered a teenage girl
He argues the Cornell Seven case woman is a victim of feminism and hookup culture, not the fraternity men, comparing it to the Duke University lacrosse case
Knowles criticizes President Trump’s policy linking federal student loans to earnings, arguing liberal arts education prepares students for freedom and contemplation, not merely income
He excoriates a viral TikTok father encouraging his infant daughter to potentially be transgender and “reject societal norms”
Knowles argues Trump’s AI rebrand to “Super Intelligence” is politically smart but warned AI lacks true intelligence
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 9/30
Jashinsky defends herself against Hasan Piker’s criticism of her tweet on trans issues, arguing the left initiated school bathroom and curriculum fights via Obama-era Title IX policies, not conservatives
Guest Mark Halperin’s reporting reveals Ken Paxton claimed President Trump is dragging down Texas Republicans
They react to Jack Smith’s testimony, which proved he subpoenaed communications from 50 journalists including Mollie Hemingway
Jashinsky argues the Cornell University case shows a troubling rush to judgment, with NY Gov. Kathy Hochul and celebrities demanding investigations before charges were filed
She reacts to Kevin Reddington bizarrely flip-flopping, now arguing prosecutors haven’t proven Lindsay Clancy killed her three children despite her own admissions
The Reagan Conrad Show - 9/30
Conrad argues the 2008 housing crash caused people to adopt boring “millennial gray” interiors focused on resale value over warmth
She blames HGTV for setting standards that pushed gray as the trendy choice, stripping homes of character through shows like Fixer Upper
Conrad connects Gen Z’s maximalist shift to a deeper cultural hunger for meaning, noting they attend church more than Boomers
She ties beauty to spiritual awakenings like the Italian Renaissance, arguing the rejection of gray is a rebuke of social media sterility
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is trying to pitch Democrats as financial saviors ahead of the midterms, despite causing inflation
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani gets criticized for his supposed antisemitism plan
Democrat strategist James Carville tells staffers, “f— your feelings” for complaining about their bosses
66% of young Democrat women blame men for their problems
People are listening to music and TikToks on public transportation and airplanes without headphones
FOX & Friends
Israel is looking into whether the FlyDubai attempted hijacking is connected to Iran, PM Benjamin Netanyahu reacts
California gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton faced off in a debate yesterday over taxes and housing prices
A kratom group is now questioning the Mississippi investigation into two drug-related student deaths
Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed doubles down on nationalized healthcare
The Dept. of the Interior has named “Backpack” their Fat Bear Week champion
President Trump kicks off his 32-day midterms rally tour today
“The Girls” podcast kicks off today with an investigation into Ms. Rachel, a children’s YouTuber that uses her platform for pro-Palestine content
FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott is inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame
South Korea invests $200B into American energy infrastructure
WSJ Correspondent Evan Gershkovich explains how he was imprisoned in Russia for 16 months, shares his book This Cursed Beautiful Land
NASA and SpaceX team up to launch their next crewed mission to the International Space Station
Influencer Alix Earle goes viral for admitting she’s never read a book
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
Remember when Abdul El-Sayed claimed he wasn’t a socialist? Well, here is the Detroit Democratic Socialists of America (@detroitdsa) welcoming him as their newest “comrade” in 2019. [X, LibsofTikTok]
No fatties. No trannies. No beardos. No weirdoes. No wimps. No radicals — just warriors. [X, Hegseth]
Hasan Piker says he is Florida Democrat Angie Nixon’s “loyal soldier.” “Just a wink and a nod...and I’m there.” [X, RNC Research]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Netanyahu praises heroic bystander for preventing ‘another 9/11’ [FOX News]
Iran leaders ‘overstayed their welcome’ in US after talks stalled [FOX News]
GOP senator joins push for AI liability [FOX News]
Breitbart
Labour Empties The Jails… Again!: Early Release Program Resumes – Thousands of Prisoners to be Turned Out [Breitbart]
Israeli Hero Fought to Stop Flydubai Hijacking: ‘I Grabbed Him, Choked Him’ [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The U.S. Economy Is Accelerating [WSJ Ed]
Passengers Defeat a Would-Be Hijacker [WSJ Ed]
The End of the Fed Building Fiasco [WSJ Ed]
Biased Climate Classes for Judges [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
Christa Pike execution live updates: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee calls for full, independent review of murderer’s 2 botched lethal injections [NYP]
GOP has shocking slim edge over Dems on affordability with ‘swing’ voters, conservative group finds [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
Abdul El-Sayed Falsely Claims He ‘Erased’ $700 Million in Medical Debt: The Truth Is Far More Modest [WFB]
Washington Reporter
GOP House candidate pledges to donate entire congressional salary to the family of a wounded veteran [Reporter]
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