Midtown News is a school news program developed by and for Midtown School of Science and Technology. The program's most notable hosts were Jason Ionello and Betty Brant and was directed by Chris Buongiorno.

History[]

Foundation[]

Midtown News was founded by Debbie Berman, who was the video production teacher and supervisor of the program.^[1]

Hosted by Betty Brant and Jason Ionello[]

Homecoming Preparations[]

Midtown News continually provided the Midtown School of Science and Technology students with school news during the school year. In 2016, it was hosted by Betty Brant and Jason Ionello and was directed by Chris Buongiorno. Ionello reminded everyone to to not forget about homecoming and asked Brant if she had a date, in which she said she did, albeit awkwardly.^[1]

Spider-Man Theories[]

That same year, after Spider-Man saved a group of students attending the Decathlon in Washington, D.C., Midtown News hosts Jason Ionello and Betty Brant started the schoolwide movement to recognize and pay tribute to Spider-Man. Brant interviewed various students and asked them who they thought Spider-Man was.^[1]

Snap[]

In 2018, Betty Brant and Jason Ionello, who were in mid-broadcast, noticed as they suddenly disintegrated into dust.^[2]

Blip[]

By 2023, a woman had become the new host of Midtown News. In October of that year, while she was delivering a segment, Betty Brant and Jason Ionello were restored during the live broadcast. After learning what happened, Ionello threw up and Brant calmly asked for her chair to continue the program. Brant and Ionello then resumed their old duties as hosts.^[2][3]

Honoring the Avengers[]

In June 2024, Midtown News honored the Avengers as a band of heroes that saved the world, in a tribute montage that included the fallen; Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Vision and Steve Rogers. During the airing, Jason Ionello and Betty Brant informed the school that the Snap and subsequent Blip led to a five-year age gap between classmates that were formerly the same age, and that the school was forced to restart the academic year in order to accommodate those who had returned to life.^[3]

Hosted by Betty Brant[]

Spider-Man's Identity[]

In September 2024, with the start of their senior year, Betty Brant became the sole host of Midtown News, providing coverage of their most famous student: Peter Parker, whose double-life as Spider-Man was exposed by Mysterio, as he returned to school for his senior year. Brant reported from Midtown's front entrance, where authorities escorted students into the building as they were surrounded by opposing crowds of Spider-Man fans and pro-Mysterio supporters. Brant continued stating that Parker had to face college applications.^[4]

Graduation[]

In June 2025, Betty Brant gave her last segment on Midtown News, displaying pictures of their high school career, including footage of herself and former co-host Jason Ionello being killed in the Snap and resurrected in the Blip, as well as the incidents during their Europe trip. After speaking on cafeteria safety and the memories they made at school, Brant declared it was time to look towards the future. She concluded her last segment, as Brant was graduating and would no longer be able to host the program.^[2]

Appearances[]

In chronological order:

• Spider-Man: Homecoming
  • Spider-Man: Far From Home Prelude, Issue 1
  • Spider-Man: Far From Home Prelude, Issue 2
• Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

References[]

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Midtown News.