The all-important May ratings (PDF) period has produced what is becoming a predictably recurrent theme: MSNBC is growing faster than any of its cable news rivals. Primetime M-F CNN FOX HLN MSNBC Persons 2+ -13% -2% +14% +51% Persons 25-54 +8% +14 +22 +40% Total Day CNN FOX HLN MSNBC Persons 2+ -2% -4% +12% [...]
Monthly Archives: May 2007
May 29
The Murdoch Family Resemblance
This is just too much fun. Stroll with me down the serene avenues of yesteryear when the New York Post scooped out the still beating hearts of their media rivals by reporting that the newly minted Democratic nominee for president, John Kerry, had chosen Dick Gephardt to be his running mate. The headline bellowed the [...]
May 29
MySpace Seeks Peek Into Voting Booths
In another assault on personal privacy by News Corp. and its progeny, MySpace has announced that they will begin offering a “viral fundraising tool” to candidates for president. The stated purpose of the tool is to allow members to make contributions to the candidates of their choice. On the surface this may not seem worthy [...]
May 29
CNN’s Non-Apology To Chavez
The shutdown of Venezuela’s RCTV has incited a heated debate amongst political activists and free speech advocates. On one hand, the station has been accused of promoting disobedience and lawlessness directed at President Hugo Chavez’ government and affiliating with organizations that participated in a 2002 coup attempt of Chavez. It is also part of a [...]
May 28
The War Prayer
From the Washington Monthly: In 1904, disgusted by the aftermath of the Spanish-American War and the subsequent Philippine-American War, Mark Twain wrote a short anti-war prose poem called “The War Prayer.” His family begged him not to publish it, his friends advised him to bury it, and his publisher rejected it, thinking it too inflammatory [...]
May 23
The Daily Show To The Media: Be More Honest
In October of 2004, I wrote an essay entitled, “The Real Fake News.” It was premised on my observation that Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, commonly labeled “fake” news, provided more accurate representations of news events more often (and more compellingly) than the so-called “real” news. And conversely, the “real” news was rampant with plagiarists, [...]
May 22
Murdoch’s Definition Of Independent
Ever since Rupert Murdoch announced his bid to acquire Dow Jones and its star property, the Wall Street Journal, people have been speculating as to how the new management would deal with the journalistic direction of the renowned newspaper. In an effort to quell a firestorm of anxiety, Murdoch quickly stepped up to assure all [...]
May 21
Al Gore Assaults Reasoning Of Diane Sawyer
In an interview this morning with Diane Sawyer, Al Gore had to dodge the typical press fixation and speculation on his non-existent presidential campaign plans. His appearance was to promote the release of his new book, “The Assault on Reason“. The book’s content is largely concerned with the trivializing of public discourse, in politics and [...]
May 19
Sicko Gets Thumbs Up From…Fox?
Michael Moore’s new film, “Sicko,” got a critical boost today from an unexpected source. Roger Friedman, the Fox411 entertainment reporter, lavished praise on the film in his online column: “Filmmaker Michael Moore’s brilliant and uplifting new documentary, “Sicko,” deals with the failings of the U.S. healthcare system, both real and perceived. But this time around, [...]
May 18
Banksy Speaks For Me
Banksy is perhaps my favorite living artist in terms of message. His work is profound and inspiring. So are his words from this recent interview. On the persistence of vision: “I originally set out to try and save the world, but now I’m not sure I like it enough.” On selling out: “I love the [...]
May 18
Rush Limbaugh: The Elephant In The Room
After last week’s Republican primary debate, Rush Limbaugh responded to a caller who commented on Limbaugh’s influence in Republican politics. Limbaugh agreed and declared that: “I alone have the power to move the [Republican] base.” That’s an audacious statement, to say the least. I would certainly concede that he can throw his considerable weight around [...]
May 15
To YouTube Or Not To YouTube
As a follow up to my article yesterday on press freedom which reported the Pentagon’s order barring soldiers from using YouTube, MySpace, and other social networks, there were a couple of notable stories published today: DoD Flip-Flop: YouTube Banned, But Watch It. “One day after the Pentagon banned US military personnel worldwide from accessing the [...]
May 15
The Fear Of Censorship
John Roberts has been CNN’s senior national correspondent and its anchor of the awkwardly-named This Week at War (sounds like a VH1 Top 20 Countdown). He was recently named a new co-host of CNN’s American Morning. In his former position at CBS he served as the network’s White House correspondent and was embedded with Marines [...]
May 14
Iran, Iraq, America: Where Is The Press More Free?
In a tale of three troubled and repressive regimes, there is news today of a puzzling variation of values. Stories from a trio of nations put on display the character of the media in our world and show how that world has been turned upside down. The Iran Story: The Associated Press reports that two [...]
May 12
Glenn Beck Defends Terrorists To Attack Olbermann
Last week Keith Olbermann delivered a whithering verbal assault on the New Jersey nutjobs accused of plotting a terrorist attack on Fort Dix. These brain surgeons took a video of their training exercises to a Photo Mat for duplication. Olbermann succinctly articulated what everyone else was thinking about these jerks: There have been far too [...]
May 11
Michael Moore And U.S. Government Conspiring to Promote Sicko
It is now being widely reported that the U. S. Treasury Department is investigating filmmaker Michael Moore in connection with his upcoming documentary, “Sicko.” The feds are alleging that Moore made an illegal trip to Cuba with a group of 9/11 rescue workers who are suffering from health problems related to their relief efforts. But [...]
May 09
Big Media: We Are The Sioux Nation – Google Is Custer
As the giant multi-national media conglomerates continue to grow, they are becoming even more brazen in their ambition and arrogance. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., in the midst of a proposed acquisition of Dow Jones, doesn’t intend to slow down. The president of Fox Entertainment, Peter Chernin, spoke at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference [...]
May 08
National Review’s Cruise Spews Skewed News
In case you haven’t already booked your summer vacation, you might want to look into this event brought to you by the folks at The National Review: That’s right…Now you and your family can enjoy a leisurely trip to the Last Frontier state with many of the same people that hope to destroy it’s native [...]
