It is time for our annual rundown of the run-down journalism seen from America’s media complex: The Townhall 50. Throughout the entire year, we compile the worst examples of violations in journalism ethics in the daily “Riffed From the Headlines” column, and from this, we collate the names of repeat offenders.

In order to measure and rank the worst journalists, we apply a strict and regimented, arbitrary formula based on media reach, the output of content, impact of reporting, and influence wielded by the individual. This is the second entry, as we climb our way down to the worst journalists seen last year.

The Townhall 50 – Ranking the Worst Journalists of 2025, Part 1: #31-50

Under this rubric, we find many dropped off contention as they went independent, such as Mehdi Hasan, Jim Acosta, Joy Reid, Jennifer Rubin, and others. Bill Kristol is an example of someone with an inventory flush with content, but he has spiraled far enough to the Left that he has entered irrelevancy. So, armed with these metrics, here they are, in ascending order, the worst examples of journalism malpractice, ethics violators, and miscreants found in the media in 2025.

Behold, as we continue, The Townhall 50.

30. Natasha Bertrand – CNN: The recidivist intel community conspiracist had a tough go in 2025. She began by complaining that a Pete Hegseth confirmation had workers in the Pentagon (i.e., her sources) “terrified.” She denied that the Iran strikes were successful, based on a leaked preliminary memo, and later CNN had to scramble and lied about Bertrand saying it was a low-confidence report, when she never had. Natasha claimed Hegseth halted arms shipments without White House approval, which was disproven. She humorously said Hegseth did not deny the second shot on a Venezuelan gunboat AFTER he publicly called her story false.

29. Sam Stein – The Bulwark: Hired by the Never Trump outlet the previous summer, Stein appeared intent on proving to his new team he was capable of delivering their brand of fractured coverage. After Elon Musk asked government workers what it is they do, one employee supposedly could not respond to his email, but did have the ability to pen a lengthy complaint to Stein. He was “shaken” that Columbia students are avoiding writing about Palestine. Sam adroitly slammed Kash Patel over his collar button being unfastened at a hearing. Stein lied outright about Brett Kavanaugh’s opinion on racial profiling. He laughably claimed Jimmy Kimmel’s critics had thin skin and then shut off the comments on his post. Sam found it “fascinating” when a low-level, no-name staffer quit MAGA because he believed the Charlottesville hoax, and this supposed conservative was pro-abortion.

28. David Muir – ABC News: The network anchor loves to insert himself into stories when possible, all while preening for the camera and thinking that shields his bias. Muir defended Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D-NY) signing of a right-to-death law by bringing up her Catholicism. Muir was a leader of the White House Bawl-room whining in the press. He covered Trump’s address to the country with lengthy complaints about healthcare prices, yet no mention of Obamacare failing. When reporting on the California wildfires, Muir was wearing a fireman’s jacket, for some reason, and was spotted having it tailored for the cameras on scene.

Nice Jacket Bro. Glad you look nice and svelte with those clothes line pegs, while our city burns to the ground. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/bGQ3zvF6lr

27. Peter Alexander – NBC News: The White House correspondent was undone at Karoline Leavitt’s first presser as he tried to challenge her, but was shamed when he had no details. He also went at Leavitt about DOGE cuts, and she had to ask why they hate cutting waste? Pete complained that Trump calls the media evil, yet he avoids concern when they call him Hitler.

26. Dana Bash – CNN: The afternoon news anchor was in a foggy mood most of the year, appearing in default anti-Trump mode, but seemingly unclear on how to make cogent criticisms. When the president denied that he would take over lands, she insisted that Trump did not rule out invading Greenland and Panama. After a plane crash in Toronto, her plane expert guest said the Canadian crash had no connection to Trump, then Dana turned to her panel and blamed Trump. She was schooled by Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (TN-2) on National Guard troops sent into D.C. Ms. Bash tried mightily to give Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) every chance to excuse himself for the Seditious 6 video. On one of her segments, the network delivered complaints about deceptively edited videos and overtly fake news defied itself when a Bash segment presented an AI verbal rendition of the Signal scandal text messages.

You want to know how thirsty the legacy media is for a Trump controversy? CNN just created an AI audio recording of the Signal group chat.

I'm not kidding. pic.twitter.com/yWltuTRtv4

25. Scott Pelley – CBS News: The 60 Minutes host spent much of his time lecturing us about his and his show’s importance. After the Paramount/CBS settlement with Trump, he gave a disapproving coda on the next broadcast. He turned sanctimonious about the nature of the media in a CNN interview. The press swooned when he delivered a bitter and pathetically political commencement speech. He exposed his political bias when Scott held a tongue-bath interview with career Democratic Party lawyer Marc Elias.

Scott Pelley: "It was nearly impossible to get anyone on camera for this story... Marc Elias... is the only lawyer the President has named who was willing to appear on 60 Minutes."

Marc Elias: "Donald Trump hates me because I fight hard and I fight for fair and free elections." pic.twitter.com/R3nAXZ7EJD

24. Mary Bruce – ABC News: Mary was one of the staunchest media supporters of the Biden White House, so you knew she would become rather embittered with a new Trump arrival. She began the year embarrassing herself with a

© Townhall