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…
1,419 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (11+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Proving legacy media wrong again
New Media Voices: Canada and Hamtramck
Leading FOX: Tyler Robinson and Lindsay Clancy
Trending: Love Island and Eric Swalwell
What the Right is Writing: Iran and data centers
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
The New York Post scooped Friday that several podcast stars and influencers headed to the White House for a sit-down with President Trump. Three quick takeaways:
Beyond “MAGA”: The Post dubbed the group “MAGA,” but it featured traditional conservatives and Christian personalities too. The Trump podcast coalition is bigger than red-ballcap wearers.
Sharp move: The White House is far more new-media savvy than today’s Republican political class.
Legacy media was wrong (again): Remember those headlines about Trump losing the podcast crowd? It was wrong then and wrong now. The conservative new media ecosystem is bigger, more varied, and still firmly supportive of the President. -NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 8/31
Kelly and guest Jesse Kelly condemn Michelle Obama for her “uniformly negative” comments on motherhood, and a self-centered focus on “me, mine, I”
Kelly worries the old faction of the GOP wants Ken Paxton to lose to “punish” primary voters
She slams NY Gov. Kathy Hochul for wearing a hijab at an Islamic Cultural Center school, arguing it symbolizes Western appeasement
Guest Phil Holloway of MK True Crime critiques the prosecution’s closing arguments for acknowledging Lindsay Clancy’s mental issues too early
LA Magazine reporter Lauren Conlin looks into how defense attorney Kevin Reddington was made into a star by media
The Ben Shapiro Show - 8/31
Shapiro criticizes NY Gov. Kathy Hochul for wearing a hijab, arguing it symbolizes leftist willingness to “glaze” Islam and is distasteful ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11
He argues white liberal women are being hypocritical by advocating for Sharia Law while simultaneously protesting “American intolerance,” referencing support for Zohran Mamdani and Hasan Piker
Shapiro warns “America haters” like Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed are gaining power, threatening Jewish safety
The Michael Knowles Show - 8/31
Knowles calls out Abdul El-Sayed’s association with socialist streamer Hasan Piker, whose past statements like “America deserved 9/11” should disqualify any mainstream left-wing candidate
He reacts to country singer Jelly Roll turning against Trump-supporting fans, as well as the deportation of controversial conservative Milo Yiannopoulos
Knowles expresses skepticism about GA Sen. Jon Ossoff’s “proto-presidential campaign” against Mike Collins, Sherrod Brown’s chances against OH Sen. John Husted, and AZ Gov. Katie Hobbs’ strategy against Andy Biggs
He provides Christian marriage advice while criticizing modern dating culture in light of the Lindsay Clancy case
Timcast IRL - 8/31
Pool blasts media misrepresentation of the Times Square attack, arguing the public doesn’t realize how dangerous knives can be
He looks into a federal court’s decision to uphold a Muslim city council’s ban on pride flags in Hamtramck, Michigan
Pool argues Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost’s demand for student loan forgiveness is a wealth transfer from the working class to college-educated elites and banks
Guest Thomas Corbett-Dillon discusses how outsourcing manufacturing gave China power, criticizes the decline of the UK military, and expresses concern over the potential for unrest and violence in Northern Ireland
The panel questions whether obesity could be completely stopped by GLP-1 medications
The Trish Regan Show - 8/31
Regan blasts NY AG Letitia James for misusing taxpayer funds for politically motivated investigations against President Trump, citing an email from her own prosecutor, Daniel Weisenfeld, as bombshell evidence
She draws parallels between James’ actions and the FBI cover-up surrounding former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s ties to a Chinese spy
Regan highlights Trump’s accusations that NY Gov. Kathy Hochul’s sanctuary state policies have led to the release of 7,000 criminals
She jokes about conservative province Alberta joining the United States, supporting Trump’s offer for Canadian companies to move south of the border
Regan criticizes Meet the Press for what she perceives as biased reporting against Trump’s midterm endorsement success
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
President Trump encourages voters to “pretend” he’s on the ballot this midterm season to increase turnout
Sen. Bernie Sanders calls outrage over Hasan Piker and socialism “stupid,” Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed fails to distance himself
Gutfeld compares tariffs on Canada to an older brother reprimanding his younger sibling
China is pushing outrage propaganda over data centers using AI bots
FOX & Friends
As the pretrial ends in the Tyler Robinson case, verdict watch enters day four in the Lindsay Clancy trial
President Trump is considering limited strikes on Iran
TrumpRx deals are now supported by 26 drug companies
A woman stabs two people in Times Square, killing one, before being shot by the NYPD
MI Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed tries to attack Usha Vance, VP JD Vance fires back
As China attempts to influence public opinion on data centers, Trump declares, “let data reign” as they bring in $369B to local communities
Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson rejects the administration’s help after six murders in Chicago in one weekend
ICE deports an illegal, unlicensed migrant guilty of hitting and killing a baby with her car
Actor Jon Voight and LA conservative Spencer Pratt team up with Trump to Make Hollywood Great Again
Two people dead, one missing in Grand Canyon flooding
The Women’s Tennis Association will require gene testing for the 2028 Olympics
The House will hold a hearing on birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s attempt to overturn the policy
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler is interviewed on the upcoming Apprentice-style competition between small businesses for $1M
Meghan Markle reportedly wants nine bedrooms and a film studio in their new UK home
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
New cringe Love Island parody video from Abdul El-Sayed that he just posted on TikTok and not on X. No candidate for public office should ever say things like this on video: “What gives me the ick?” “What’s my red flag?” [X, Guest]
WI Democrat Governor nominee David Crowley approved giving inmates free tablets. Some used it to intimidate witnesses, send threatening messages, and watch child p**n. [X, Libs of TikTok]
New footage shows the exact moment ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell got swarmed by FBI agents at the airport, so they could seize his devices after getting off the plane. [X, Daugherty]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Trump says Iran is ‘dead’ as Tehran is nearing the brink [FOX News]
Accused Charlie Kirk assassin could finally enter plea [FOX News]
Insanity verdict may offer little relief for Lindsay Clancy’s fate [FOX News]
Breitbart
Sen. Ron Johnson Seeks ‘Covid Reckoning’: ‘I Want to Make Sure That Anthony Fauci’s Reputation Is Completely Destroyed’ [Breitbart]
U.S. Strikes Iranian Launchers Set to Mine Hormuz, IRGC Vows Retaliation [Breitbart]
Horrifying Food Safety Violations By Illegal Street Vendors in L.A. [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The Data Center Panic and U.S. Decline [WSJ Ed]
Chuck Schumer and Hasan Piker [WSJ Ed]
Florida, Vaccines and Religious Liberty [WSJ Ed]
Taiwan’s Drone Realism [WSJ Ed]
Trump Takes the Oil in Venezuela [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s UK move making locals ‘wary’: ‘Don’t bring the circus here!’ [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
Ohio Democratic Congressional Candidate Arrested For Attempting to Swallow Crack Cocaine, Slapping Stranger at Baseball Game [WFB]
Washington Reporter
The unexpected data center effect: lower electric bills [Reporter]
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