Lauren Ashburn

49 POSTS
Lauren Ashburn is a weekly television columnist for Barrett Media, and the founder of Ashburn Media Company. She is a television veteran who has anchored and executive produced network and cable news programs, and served as a contributor to Fox News, the Daily Beast and PBS NewsHour. Her written work has been published by The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, and she appears on television talking about media and politics. Ashburn has interviewed US Presidents, members of Congress, high-profile celebrities, and covered political conventions and debates. She has even reported on the Iraq War from the front lines, covered 9/11 from the Pentagon, and anchored from the US/Mexico border. You can find her on X at @LaurenAshburn. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School’s master’s program, Ashburn was also Managing Editor of Gannett Broadcasting and USA Today Live and Managing Editor and Anchor of the evening news on EWTN. She is the founder of Ashburn Media Company and has been married to Howard Kurtz since 2020.

The Nancy Guthrie Disappearance and the Perils of Getting Ahead of the Facts

Journalists, pundits, and the Pima County sheriff in Arizona cited Ashleigh Banfield’s headline-grabbing theory on cable news as a disturbing example of how commentary can feed the rumor mill.

Why Cable and Network News Are Rallying Around Don Lemon — and Why That’s Risky

My instincts as a journalist make me want to come out forcefully for Lemon, even though I’m hardly a fan. But I’m holding my nose doing it.

How Hard Questions About ICE and Cell Phone Video Changed Everything

The intense questioning by top anchors left the public wondering why a 37-year-old ICU nurse, who worked with veterans, could die at the hands of those sworn to protect him.

While ABC News Dominates and NBC News Chases, Tony Dokoupil and CBS News Struggles to Define Itself

His counterparts at NBC and ABC have big ratings leads and seem to have clear direction and momentum. Not so at CBS.

How a Fatal ICE Shooting Became a National Media and Political Firestorm

That rush to judgment -- seen wall-to-wall on TV -- didn’t calm tensions. It utterly inflamed them.

Breaking

How Radio Lost the Hustle to Local Campaigns

"Don’t expect people who don’t already know your radio station to simply stumble across it.

Why Laz Diaz’s Retirement Provides a Powerful Lesson for Sports Radio Veterans

"The people who helped build sports radio have every right to be proud of what they accomplished. But they also have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to explain to the next generation why it was worth doing in the first place."

Jenny Matthews, Jagger Take KC’s 106.5 The Wolf To New York 

“I’m not gonna lie, I was terrified because I truly was a person who always said I don’t like country! But I quickly realized I actually love country music. I just didn’t realize it.”

Should Nielsen Create a Low-Cost Ratings Service for Small Radio Markets?

I'm not privy to anything Nielsen may be planning, but is it time for the company to consider a low-cost option for small markets?