After years with CNN, media reporter Oliver Darcy goes solo
The scoop machine talks about launching his new newsletter, Status, and the challenges of covering a rapidly changing industry.
Media reporter Oliver Darcy is well known among industry insiders and news junkies alike for his sharp commentary and incisive scoops. Now, after two years of chronicling the ups and downs of the news industry for CNN's widely-read Reliable Sources newsletter, the 33-year-old has ventured out on his own with Status, a subscription-based newsletter dedicated to the media beat.
Status promises to be more than just a rehash of Darcy's work at CNN. With a broad scope that encompasses everything from Silicon Valley to presidential politics, Darcy aims to connect the dots in a media landscape that's increasingly fragmented and fast-moving. His entry into the world of paid subscriptions also represents a test case for the value of specialized media reporting in an era of information overload.
For this edition of Depth Perception, we caught up with Darcy to discuss the launch of Status, his vision for the future of media journalism, and the challenges of striking out on his own. The following has been edited for length and clarity. —Parker Molloy
Tell me a bit about yourself and your career.
I grew up on the West Coast. My wife, Elise, and I live in Manhattan with our hairless cat, Mister Albert. And I have always been deeply transfixed by both media and politics.
The short version of my unusual career trajectory is as follows: I served as editor of my high school newspaper. But the university I attended did not have a journalism program, so I studied political science and became involved in GOP politics. Upon graduating, I moved to the Washington, DC, area and eventually found work in Glenn Beck’s then-nascent media company.
I spent a couple years working for Beck, but during the 2016 election, I became fixated on the civil war that was consuming right-wing media. I wanted to report on it and found doing so to be difficult while residing in Beck’s media empire. So I left to become politics editor at Business Insider. From that perch, I was able to leverage my knowledge of conservative media to cover the infighting in GOP media in a way few were.
That ultimately attracted CNN’s attention and, shortly after Trump was inaugurated, I was hired by the network. I initially focused on right-wing media, but broadened to cover the whole industry, ranging from the press to Hollywood to Big Tech. Brian Stelter handed me the Reliable Sources baton when Chris Licht canceled the show, and I spent two years authoring that newsletter solo.
How did Status come into existence? Was this a move you’d been thinking of making for a bit? What can subscribers expect?
I mulled going independent for some time. After giving it serious thought, I decided to take the leap. Life is too short to delay placing a bet on yourself. Plus, with newsletter platforms like Beehiiv, it has never been easier to start an independent media venture.
I also firmly believe that media reporting is essential and that too few outlets have the nerve and/or resources to adequately cover it. It is very unfortunate because the decisions made in the industry have profound implications, not just for the media, but for society as a whole. Media is at the heart of who we are as a people. It determines everything from the flow of news and information to the communication that binds us and the entertainment that shapes our culture.
It not only deserves hard-hitting covering, it demands it. Status will fill the void, delivering uncompromising reporting and analysis into inboxes five nights a week. There will be no pulling punches or sparing sensitive egos. We will say, in plain language, what everyone is thinking but is too afraid to say about the information landscape. And we will cover everything from the Fourth Estate to Hollywood to Silicon Valley and explain how each facet of the industry is connected to one another.
Why did you become a journalist?
It’s an incredible job. You get to interrogate power, inform people, and help the public make sense of a chaotic world. And it is not only rewarding work, but it can be quite fun! Who doesn’t like to make a little trouble and be a thorn in the side of the powerful?
What story of yours are you proudest of?
That’s challenging to answer. I think the toughest story I have reported was in regards to former colleagues of [journalist] Mark Halperin accusing him of sexual harassment and assault. It was quite difficult to hear first hand what those women went through.
But I’m also proud of holding Tucker Carlson accountable, playing a role spurring a large conversation in Big Tech about what to do with disinformation artists like Alex Jones, and offering honest coverage of CNN from inside the house.
A uniquely American problem
What do Butler, Penn., Apalachee High School, and Trump International Golf Club have in common? They are all sites where of recent gun violence (or alleged, attempted gun violence) have captured headlines. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of this writing, there have been 12,130 firearm-related deaths and 23,241 gun-linked injuries in the U.S. in 2024.
Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust, hosted by Garrett Graff, is a podcast that helps listeners understand how 21st-century America, clad in both camouflage and Kevlar, has become both a bastion of freedom and a land of lockdowns. Featuring in-depth reporting from The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering gun violence, this limited series podcast has already been called one of the best podcasts of 2024 by Mashable. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or at www.longshadowpodcast.com.
What story of yours do you most regret?
I don’t know if I have a particular story to point to, but I certainly regret some of the work I did while at [conservative outlet] TheBlaze. Many of the stories I published there do not represent who I am as a journalist or person today.
What’s the best journalistic career advice you ever received?
When he was president of CNN, Jeff Zucker always used to tell us, “Call it out.” He meant that we should speak truth to power and be unafraid in our coverage. That mantra always stuck with me.
What is the worst journalistic career advice you’ve ever received?
I’m not sure I’ve ever received outright bad advice. But I’m not a fan of people who spend enormous volumes of energy working to convince others that something simply isn’t possible. I think quite a lot is possible if you don’t limit yourself with that type of mindset.
“When he was president of CNN, Jeff Zucker always used to tell us, ‘Call it out.’ He meant that we should speak truth to power and be unafraid in our coverage. That mantra always stuck with me.” —Oliver Darcy, Status
What is a widely accepted journalistic rule or norm that you hate?
Bothsidesism. It’s not as widely accepted today as it was a decade ago, but too many people still practice it. It gets under my skin seeing how some news executives absolutely insist on covering today’s politics as if we live in the 1990s and both parties are on similar footing. They’re not, and the news coverage should be clear about that.
What makes you think journalism is doomed?
Watching the collapse of the old business models that have held these companies up for decades, coupled with knowing the unfortunate reality that, outside the New York Times, no news organization has really identified a strong model to replace the dying ones with.
What makes you feel hopeful for the future of journalism?
The people. Despite the bad economics and the grim nature of the 24/7 news cycle, reporters still show up each day, ready to gather and deliver the news. It is not glamorous work, nor is it the most financially rewarding. But most of the people who do it are united and motivated by the shared mission of informing the public. And while I am not certain what journalism will look like a decade from now, I do know that that north star will still be there.
Further reading from Oliver Darcy
“Five women accuse journalist and 'Game Change' co-author Mark Halperin of sexual harassment” (CNN, Oct. 26, 2017)
“Facebook touts fight on fake news, but struggles to explain why InfoWars isn't banned” (CNN, July 11, 2018)
“Tucker Carlson’s top writer resigns after secretly posting racist and sexist remarks in online forum” (CNN, July 11, 2020)
“Analysis: CNN faces harsh criticism after Trump unleashed a firehose of lies during its live town hall” (CNN, May 11, 2023)