It is time to continue the rundown of the worst seen from our media complex with The Heckler Awards, our recognition of the worst from the problematic press in 2025. In the daily column “Riffed From the Headlines,” we highlight the media lowlights and violations of journalism ethics. In our four-part year-end series, we give notice to the worst offenders and most dysfunctional reporting seen from the media landscape.

In this, the second installation, we will recognize some of the individual (dis)honors from either specific outlets or named journalists. So, let’s dig in and continue the scrounging through this year’s dustbin of the media landscape! Here are the technical award trophies for the disturbing acts from news sources or newsmakers last year. 

Media Rehab Facility – CNN

While it has always been the case that the networks — especially the cable nets — are available to assist Democrats in image repair, CNN was especially active in helping party members spin their problems late in the year. In rapid succession, we saw the network bring on Stacey Plaskett, Hakeem Jeffries, Jasmine Crockett, Ilhan Omar, Keith Ellison, and Mark Kelly to try to repair the controversies swirling around them, and the compliant network allowed them to filibuster to beat back criticisms.

The Papal Chase – The Daily Beast

For some reason, this outlet was especially focused on Vatican activity involving the vice president, and for that same reason, they consistently got things wrong. The outlet claimed that JD Vance broke a Vatican rule by taking pictures inside the Sistine Chapel, except the pics were taken by the White House photographer while they were on an official guided tour. In April, it claimed that Pope Francis refused to meet with JD Vance, and then, one day later, was shamed into

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