Journalism Glance
Among the many promises made in its just-approved takeover of NBC Universal, Comcast Corp. pledged to sustain and even add hundreds of hours to the news and public affairs programming at the 10 TV stations NBC owns around the country.
As a baby step in the right direction, NBC should start by putting in the garbage-disposal all those no-calorie "news" segments about, for example, "The Biggest Loser," "Law & Order," "America's Got Talent" and movies from Universal Pictures. Convert those time slots, instead, to some meat and potatoes coverage about what's happening in our neighborhoods, our schools, our city halls.
MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract, the network said Friday night. “This is the last edition of Countdown,” Mr. Olbermann said at the end of his program. “Let me thank my gifted staff here, and just a few of the many people who fought with me and for me.”
On the afternoon of January 6, Frances Fox Piven, a distinguished professor, legendary activist, writer and longtime contributor to this magazine, received an e-mail from an unknown correspondent. There was no text, just a subject line that read: DIE YOU CUNT.
A year ago a plurality of Americans said they trusted Fox News. Now a plurality of them don't. Conservatives haven't moved all that much- 75% said they trusted it last year and 72% still do this time around.But moderates and liberals have both had a strong increase in their level of distrust for the network- a 12 point gain from 48% to 60% for moderates and a 16 point gain from 66% to 82% for liberals.
A female reporter for the Qatar-based news channel was reportedly asked to remove articles of clothing, including her bra, while entering a Foreign Press Association event. The Foreign Press Association in Israel is threatening to boycott briefings held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if security procedures are not changed immediately.
Ailes' comments appeared in a conversation with Russell Simmons that was published on Simmons' website, Global Grind. He said that any attempts to connect Fox News or the Tea Party to the shooting were "bullshit," and that "both sides" were responsible for extreme rhetoric.
A self-described humorist named a liberal cable news host a "target" on her blog the day after he denounced incendiary political rhetoric in response to an Arizona shooting that claimed the lives of six people, including a federal judge, a congressperson's aide, and a child.
