This Week in Review: An objectivity object lesson, a paywall is panned, and finding the blogger’s voice
Every Friday, Mark Coddington sums up the week's top stories about the future of news and the debates that grew up around them. This week: Keith Olbermann and the meaning of objectivity; The Times (UK) releases more paywall numbers; Marc Ambinder says goodbye to blogging; a departure at TBD; and more.
The Unsettling New Era Of The Individual Journalist
Let’s get one thing out of the way up front. No one doesn’t have an opinion on things they know something about. I may have no opinion on who the best NASCAR driver is (and I don’t) but that would certainly change if I started paying attention to the sport. Coming in to last month,...
Revealed: McChrystal Banned Fox News From His Headquarters
Now that Gen. McChrystal is officially out and Gen. Petraeus has taken the reins juicy little tidbits (that, to be honest, might not have otherwise interested prior to the Rolling Stone piece) about McChrystal are making the blogosphere rounds. This is one.
Press Corps At The Bidens: Are Journalism Ethics Getting Supersoaked By Rahm?
Now that the controversy over the failure of the White House corps to criticize Helen Thomas has temporarily blown over, there is a new journalism controversy facing the DC press: should journalists go to the Biden's house for a picnic and be Super Soaked by Rahm Emanuel.
Is The Mainstream Media Prepared To Discuss The Kagan Lesbian Rumors?
With the White House announcement that Elena Kagan has been nominated to the Supreme Court, it won't be long until the chattering classes again begin to discuss her (lack of a) personal life and the lesbian rumors. Perhaps more importantly, why should it matter whether Kagan is a lesbian or not?
Marc Ambinder: Unlikely Champion for Quilts Rights
The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder took amused offense, on Twitter, over the most bizarre bit of social criticism you’re ever likely to see. Sharra Vostral, Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and History at the University of Illinois, uncovers the coded, gender-based insult behind the metaphoric use of the term “patchwork” in an Ambinder article...
Howie Kurtz Wants You To Know Mike Allen Is Not That Important
Predictably, a great many people (read: journalists) were less than thrilled to see the New York Times anoint Politico's Mike Allen the most influential journalist in Washington. In his WaPo column today Howie Kurtz politely suggests it might be otherwise. Hmm.
Conclusion: There Are No Serious Ideas Left On The Right
This is starting to feel like the beginning of a backlash. In a post yesterday that grabbed a lot of people's attention, the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder questioned whether the Republicans had in fact gone mad. Rachel Maddow suspects the conservative embrace of the fringe is a result of the lack of gatekeepers...
Trend Alert: Journalists Who Diet And Tell
You might have noticed a new hobby lately among journalists: writing and tweeting about efforts to lose weight and live more healthfully. The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, the NYT's Brian Stelter, Deadspin's Drew Magary - all three have been using media, social and otherwise, to document - and support - their efforts to lose weight....
