Mary Ann Akers reports from behind the scenes in Washington: Sources tell The Sleuth that the Obama camp has “frozen out” Fox News reporters and producers in the wake of the network’s major screw-up in running with the erroneous Obama-the-jihadist story reported by Insight magazine. Finally, a public figure with the sense to make Fox’s [...]
Monthly Archives: January 2007
Jan 29
O’Reilly Predicts, Dixie Chicks Nix
There is seemingly no subject on which professional know-it-all, Bill O’Reilly, does not consider himself to be an expert (and no subject on which he actually is). Last March, wearing his music biz (dunce) cap, he predicted that the Dixie Chicks’ soon-to-be-released CD, “Taking The Long Way,” was destined to fail. He said at the [...]
Jan 29
Media Ownership, Lies, And The Internet
As the FCC continues to review media ownership rules, Big Media hacks persist in spreading false claims about competition and the benefits of local ownership. Former FCC commissioner, Reed Hundt, told USA Today that the meaning of ‘media monopoly’ has changed: “‘Media monopoly’ seems now to be about whether you can use the Internet for [...]
Jan 29
CAP’s Media Diversity Initiative
One of the main reasons that the FCC is incapable of producing regulations that serve the public interest is that they define public interest as something more like corporate handouts. Rather than evaluating regulations on their ability to advance open and informed dialogue, the cornerstone of democracy, the FCC grades its proposals on whether they [...]
Jan 27
Google And The 2008 Presidential Campaign
A study conducted by Internet marketing research firm Rimm-Kaufman Group, found that there was not a particularly significant use of paid search ads during the 2006 election cycle. The study is less than pure, in my view, because it includes any ad with political content, including some third party advertisers selling buttons on CafePress who [...]
Jan 27
John Kerry’s Pariah Bomb
Take cover. Get ready for the blast that’s about to sweep through the media. A former presidential candidate said something that can be easily taken out of context and blown up into an absurd controversy by lazy and unethical media whores. Therefore, it will be. At an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, John Kerry was [...]
Jan 26
CBS: Let Lara Logan Do Her Job
CBS News is fortunate to have one of the most dedicated and responsible reporters in broadcast journalism. But they apparently don’t appreciate it. Lara Logan has been posting honest and courageous reports from Baghdad since before the fall of Saddam. Her latest, though, has been shuffled off to CBS’ web site without being broadcast on [...]
Jan 26
Meet The (Message Control) Press
The trial of Scooter Libby, for lying about outing an undercover CIA agent, has always promised to deliver long held secrets of intrigue and deceit from the White House. And with the participation of so many figures from the media (i.e. Judith Miller, Matt Cooper, Bob Novak, Tim Russert, etc.), there has also been the [...]
Jan 24
The Envelope Please…
The list of nominated documentaries for this year’s Academy Awards is out and, like most news events these days, it is certain to produce reactions from all quarters. Hollywood is a frequent victim of attacks from right wing cultural imperialists, and lefties get their knocks in as well. But Academy voters are rarely mistaken for [...]
Jan 23
Fool Me Once, You Can’t Get Fooled Again
Who knew that the media would take so well to the lesson served up by our Educator-In-Chief: “There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee – that says, fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.” GWB, September 17, [...]
Jan 22
Fox Promo: Not The Usual Left Wing Bias
Well, it’s happened. Fox has finally let the shroud fall revealing themselves for what we all know they are: A rabidly right-wing mouthpiece for Republican dogma. Over the weekend they broadcast this promo on their feculent air: The actual video can be seen at Hot Air, where they are moaning orgasmically at what they view [...]
Jan 21
More On Rich Little And The White House Press
Little now tells the New Yorker that he is, “basically a Republican.” His career, however, is on fire. The article discloses that he next appears at the Soboba Casino, in San Jacinto, California, and then at the North Iowa Community Auditorium. Even so, he still has strong opinions about his comic colleagues: “Little said that [...]
Jan 19
The White House Press And The Colbert Curse
Last year Stephen Colbert delivered what will probably be the most memorable comic presentation that the White House Correspondent’s Association will ever see. He showed up in character as the bombastic pundit that presides over his Colbert Report. And throughout the routine he pounded the media just as much as he did the president. Here’s [...]
Jan 18
Kucinich: You Are The Message
Dennis Kucinich made a surprise appearance at the National Conference for Media Reform. Before the crowd of 3,000, he announced that there is going to be a new Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Government Reform Committee, and that he would be the chairman. The subcommittee will oversee several government agencies, including the FCC. Kucinich [...]
Jan 18
The Military Assault On Free Press And Thought
Another journalist is being threatened with incarceration for expressing herself, this time for reporting on a soldier who is being threatened with incarceration for expressing himself. The majority of the American people oppose the occupation of Iraq and that majority is growing daily. So it should come as no surprise that soldiers are arriving at [...]
Jan 16
A Tale Of Two Hires
The state of journalism has a pair of stories this week on recent hires that deliver a little good news a Little not so good. Journalism on public television has taken a turn for the better with the announcement that Bill Moyers will return to PBS with a weekly show called, ”Bill Moyers Journal.” It’s [...]
Jan 16
The Same Kenneth Tomlinson
The irrepressibly corrupt Kenneth Tomlinson has informed the White House that he will not seek renomination as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). This is the same Kenneth Tomlinson that “improperly used his office, putting a friend on the payroll and running a “horse-racing operation” with government resources.” This is the same Kenneth [...]
Jan 14
NCMR2007: Are You Prepared For Success?
You might expect that the closing session of the National Conference for Media Reform would present rousing speakers that reaffirm the previous days experiences – the information, inspiration and connections – and act as a catalyst to provoke impassioned and sustained activism. That expectation was met. But one speaker, Van Jones, founder and executive Directer [...]
Jan 14
NCMR2007: Selected Treats
For those of you who were not fortunate enough to attend the National Conference For Media Reform, I have compiled a few moments that may be of interest. Jeff Cohen of Fairness and Accuracy in Media:After pointing out some disturbing stats that prove that broadcast media favors right wing pundits and commentators, he itemized his [...]
