Turns Out Denying A Mosque Near Ground Zero Ain’t That Easy
It's official: the plan to build a mosque and Muslim community center two blocks away from Ground Zero essentially has a green light, despite vast controversy and conservative outrage. Amid the massive media and politics frenzy, three recent columns show the kind of real discussion we should be having in lieu of the rants...
Sharron Angle Would Like Reporters To Ask Her Questions She Wants To Answer
Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle has an interesting relationship with the press. She's been known for both running away from reporters, and generally sticking with Fox News and more conservative-leaning outlets.In an interview with Fox News' Carl Cameron, she explains why: because reporters should only ask the questions she wants to answer.
Report: Jon Meacham Leaving Newsweek After Sale To Harman
Earlier today, word broke that Sidney Harman is buying Newsweek from the Washington Post Company. Now, several outlets -- including Politico's Mike Allen and the New York Post's Keith J. Kelly -- are reporting that the magazine's editor, Jon Meacham, will be leaving after the sale, presumably freeing up the most influential...
Howard Kurtz: When Journalism Is A “Blood Sport,” Everyone Gets Hurt
Anyone who has gone to J-school can recall countless lessons on unbiased reporting and avoiding conflicts of interest. Yet these ideas almost seem archaic when looking at the state of journalism -- and least in this country -- today. Or so argues Howard Kurtz in today's Washington Post column.
Sold! Sidney Harman To Buy Newsweek
After four major bids and much speculation, it's a done deal: Sidney Harman, the businessman behind one of the world's largest stereo equipment companies, is buying Newsweek from the Washington Post Company. The company is said to be announcing the deal later today.
Mother Jones Criticizes Media For Helping BP “Pretend There’s No Oil” In The Gulf
An AFP story Tuesday ran with the headline, "Gulf focus shifts, but where is all the oil?" The story essentially states that while clean-up efforts are in full swing after the well was finally capped, the crews are not finding very much oil in the Gulf; they're actually wondering where it has gone. Well,...
Gossip Cop Celebrates Its One Year Anniversary
This time last year, a new kind of gossip site hit the web. Gossip Cop, co-founded by Michael Lewittes and Mediaite founder Dan Abrams, was created with the mission of policing celebrity news and rumors -- or "busting bad dish." The site factchecks sites ranging ranging from Perez Hilton and TMZ to...
Time’s Rick Stengel Explains Reasoning Behind Bold Cover Image
This week's Time magazine cover might startle you. It might make you a bit uncomfortable. And that's exactly what Rick Stengel, the magazine's managing editor, intended. The cover image shows 18-year-old Aisha, an Afghan woman who, after leaving her abusive in-laws, had her nose and ears cut off by the Taliban. The story's headline reads:...
WikiLeaks Documents Reveal That U.S. Paid Afghan Media For “Friendly” Stories
The headline on this post shouldn't surprise you too much. Government propaganda, particularly during wartime, is hardly unheard of. Amid the more than 90,000 WikiLeaks-released documents relating to Afghanistan, there is this: the United States paid the Afghan media to run "friendly stories."
LAT’s Jonah Goldberg Applauds “New Journalism” For Moving Past Cronkite Era
Walter Cronkite is widely regarded as an icon -- and, to many aspiring journalists, a role model. He and his coverage of the Vietnam War are often referred to as a highpoint in journalism even today. Jonah Goldberg of the Los Angeles Times has a vastly different opinion. In today's column, he writes that...
WikiLeaks Vs. Pentagon Papers: What’s The Comparison?
The Pentagon Papers Of Our Time. This is the title being given to the new Wikileaks release of more than 90,000 military documents pertaining to the war in Afghanistan. It's hardly surprising given the parallels often drawn between Afghanistan and Vietnam -- but what are the real similarities and differences? James Fallows makes...
