Questions, comments or suggested links? Contact me at: Ralph.Hanson@mail.wvu.edu Mass Communication: Living in a Media World, a new text for Introduction to Mass Communication classes.

June 2004 Archive

Note that some of these links are short term and will expire after two weeks. If you have access to Lexis-Nexis at your college or university library, you can retrieve many of the stories that are no longer on the web.

Main Archive List

Wednesday - June 30, 2004

• Powell Disappointed that Media Ownership Rules are Rejected
  FCC Chair Michael K. Powell said it was a "deep disappointment" that the new rules that would allow greater concentration of media ownership were struck down by the court. (Washington Post)
• Spider-Man 2 Gets Rave from Post's Stephen Hunter
  What I want to know is whether any newspaper can resist putting in a spider-related pun in their headline?
• Transfer of Power in Iraq Happens Quietly
  Reporters had a hard time trying to cover a story that they didn't even know was happening. A pair of stories on the topic from the Washington Post.
  • Howard Kurtz's Media Notes (WP)
  • Secrecy Kept Positive Photos From Being Taken (WP)
• How Much Originality is there in Reality TV?
  The NY Times ran an article accusing Fox of copying ideas of other networks with its popular reality programs.
• Supreme Court Upholds Free Speech Over Controlling Web Porn
  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that it is more important that adults have free and open communication on the web than controlling access to porn. (USA Today)

Tuesday - June 29, 2004

• NY Times Public Editor Looks Cheney, Clinton
  Daniel Okerent wrote a fascinating column on Sunday covering a couple of big issues. First he deals with VP Dick Cheney's complaint about a headline about the 9/11 panel's report on the connections between al-Qaeda and Iraq. Cheney thought the headline was "outrageous." Second, he deals with the front page eviseration of Bill Clinton's memoir by reviewer Michiko Kakutani. Okerent looks not only at the review itself, but the fact that it ran on page 1. Very interesting reading.
• WP's Howard Kurtz Chats with Readers
  The Post's media reporter talks about Wolfowitz, the NYT review of Clinton's book, the Star Trek Senator Sex Snafu, and other hot media/politics stories.

Monday - June 28, 2004

• Wolfowitz Claims Reporters in Iraq are "Afraid to Travel Much"; Journalists Cry Foul; Wolfowitz Apologizes
  Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, talking on MSNBC's Hardball, criticized journalists in Iraq, saying "part of our problem (in Iraq is a lot of press are afraid to travel very much, so they sit in Baghdad, and they publish rumors." Wolfowitz went on to say "I'm not media bashing." Oh? Finally, he issues a written, unambiguous apology to journalists. (Thanks to Romenesko for the quote above and for listing many of the stories on this. I wouldn't have found this one otherwise.)
  • Transcript of Hardball where Wolfowitz makes charges
  • WP's Howard Kurtz - "Paul Wolfowitz is basically accusing journalists of cowardice."
    Kurtz outlines what has happened to journalists in Iraq over the past few months. He also says that Wolfowitz's accusations of the press printing rumors in Iraq lack any substance.
  • WP's Al Kamen Rebuts Wolfowitz
    Points out that 30 journalists have died covering the story in Iraq.
  • Wolfowitz Apologizes to Journalists (NY Times)
    And it's not one of those "I'm sorry if anyone was offended apologies" either. He writes:
    
    "I know that many journalists continue to go out each day — in the most dangerous circumstances — to bring us coverage of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan... Since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq, 34 journalists have given their lives; many others have been injured while bringing us that story.... But, most of all, I want to extend an apology."
  • WP's Ombudsman Discusses Wolfowitz Story
  • Committee to Protect Journalists Coverage of Journalists' Deaths in Iraq
    Read through the the long list of stories here to see how seriously committed journalists really are to reporting the news out of Iraq.
• Are Cell Phones Mass Comm?
  Depends on how you define a phone. Phones today let you take and send photos, text messages, even surf the web. This article from the NY Times looks at the phenomenon of alabi clubs, where people can use networks of willing strangers to tell lies for them. When you read this, don't just think about the liars club, think about the potential for truly mass communication on an individual basis.
• R-Cards Get Teens Into R-rated Movies Without a Parent
  A new trend in the movie theater business is the so-called R-card, which parents can buy for their children for a small fee that gives the children permission to go to R movies without a parent along. MPAA head JackValenti complains that the cards "distort" the rating system. (NY Times)
• Fahrenheit 9/11 has $8.2 Million Opening Day on Just 800 Screens
  Too bad Disney ditched it; would have given studio first #1 movie this year! (FoxNews)
  • After one day, F 9/11 is already the #4 money-making documentary!
    Note that this does not include Imax films, many of which have made much more. Everest (an absolutely stunning film, BTW) did more than $77 million in business.
  • UPDATE - F 9/11 is #1 for the Weekend, #1 non-Imax documentary. (Box Office Mojo)
    Interestingly enough, Moore would not agree to an interview with BOM unless they submitted questions in advance.

Saturday - June 26, 2004

• VP Cheney Uses F-word on Senate Floor. How Did the Press Handle it?
  Is it news when the VP uses obscene language on the Senate floor? Should C-SPAN 2 be charged with public indecency? (Naw, he didn't say it in front of a live mic.) So far, the Washington Post ran the word undedited. The New York Times said he used an obscenity.
  • Cheney Dismisses Critic With Obscenity (WP)
    • Post Editor Explains Decision to Publish Expletive (WP's Howard Kurtz)
    • The Post's decision to run the quote then became news!
    • History of Arguing in the Senate (WP)
  • Salty Language as Cheney and Senator Clash (NY Times)
    • NY Times Second-Day Story on Cheney Profanity
  • USA Today Tells it from Leahy's POV
  • FoxNews Covers Story at end of Cheney Interview
  • NY Post Runs Dashes - "f--- yourself"
  • London's Guardian uses word in story, but not headline.
  • NPR - Cheney Used "Vulgar Epithet"
    • And...
      In a completely unrelated story, Fresh Air commentator and linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about profanity and how different words have been used in different eras. (Scroll down to bottom of page for audio link.)
  • Slate: When Do Papers Print the F-Word?
    The last big time the F-word got printed in unedited form was in 1998 from a complete printing of the Starr Report. Get the whole scoop on how the press actually uses "bad words."
  • AP-Incivility in the Senate

Friday - June 25, 2004

• A Second NY Times Review of Clinton Book
  As you may recall, the NY Times ran an absolutely scathing review of Clinton's book this week. Now they have put a second review on their web site that is due to be published in the New York Times Book Review. Author Larry McMurtry loves it...
• Bill Would Expand Copyright Law to Target File Sharing Services
  A proposed law before the Senate would make it a crime to "induce" people to break copyright law. This would make it easier to prosecute file-sharing services. It has bipartisan support. (Washington Post)
  • Telecom Industry is Critical of Bill (NY Times)
• Court Strikes Down Looser FCC Ownership Rules
  The same week that the Senate passed a bill reversing the looser media ownership rules approved by the FCC last summer, a U.S. appeals court has now refused to let the loosened rules take effect. (NY Times) What does this mean? Neither the courts nor the Senate wants to see more concentrated ownership in the media business.
  • Of course, that doesn't stop consolidation from taking place... Viacom to buy German MTV Competitor.

Thursday - June 24, 2004

• Dallas Morning News Columnists Talks About Influence of Blogs
  And talks about which are his favorites about a range of topics. (Thanks to Romenesko for a couple of items today.)
• Why the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Ran Beheading Photo
  "Because the statement with its photos - issued so casually, like some bland press release - demonstrate compellingly the brutality, the inhumanity, and the deadly danger of the enemy we face. Words alone could not fully convey the cold-blooded savagery of this graphic declaration, with its gloating tone and its threat of more such acts."
  Editor Frank Craig
• Senate Votes to Strike Down FCC Rules on Ownership
  As you may recall, last year the FCC put forward new rules that would allow media companies to own many more television and/or radio stations, and to own both a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same city. Both Republicans and Democrats raised their eyebrows at this increased consolidation in ownership. While the courts temporarily blocked the enforcement of the new rules, the senate has now voted to repeal the new ownership rules. (NY Times)
• Get to Know the CEO of Time Warner
  Richard Parsons, CEO of Time Warner, is one of the few top African Americans in media management in the US. The NY Times profiles him.
• Anorexia and Celebs
  Actress Christina Ricci notes that she learned how to be an anorexic by watching a movie on Lifetime about an anorexic. Anorexia is back in the news because Mary-Kate Olsen is seeking treatment for the eating disorder. (USA Today)

Wednesday - June 23, 2004

• A Look Back at the Original Summer Blockbuster
  Jaws, released in the summer of 1975, became the original summer blockbuster, and created the whole fuss over summer movies. (Washington Post)
• Magazine Publishers Look at Teen Market
  Teens are happier, more diverse, and very interested in magazines, according to Media Daily News.
• Yikes! USA Today to Cost 75 Cents!
  It's going to take one more quarter to buy an issue of USA Today starting in September. It's the paper's first ever increase in cover price.
• Senate Approves Bigger Indecency Fines
  The U.S. Senate approved much bigger fines for indecency on the airwaves. Take that, Miss Janet! (USA Today)
• Fahrenheit 9/11 Gets R Rating
  Rating board declines appeal from Michael Moore's request for PG-13. The R is for "violent and disturbing images and for language ." (USA Today) (Link includes video clips from film.)
  • And Author Ray Badbury Does NOT Like seeing the title of his classic Fahrenheit 451 being used in parody on Moore's film. (WP)

Tuesday - June 22, 2004

• Marketing, PR, and Bill Clinton's Image
  There's been a lot of ink out there recently about former president Bill Clinton's new memoir. The book is getting a lot of attention because it's a presidential memoir (maybe), because it's received an huge amount of publisher backing (no doubt), because Clinton received an enormous advance for the book (which makes anybody who writes for a living sit up and take notice), and because he talks candidly about his affair with Monica Lewinsky (sex... you think that will sell a few books?). Here's a sampling of coverage about the launch of Clinton's book:
  • Clinton's Focus on Personal May Have a Cost (WP)
    Clinton spent his presidency trying to stay away from personal issues. Now that he's trying to sell books, he's embracing his inner bad boy. (Or at least that's what John Harris's article from the Washington Post implies.)
  • Howard Kurtz - Bill Clinton's Aura: Still at the Cleaners (WP)
    The Post's media critic takes a look at why Clinton may never get the kind of lionizing from the media that the late Ronald Reagan did.
  • NY Times Review- The Pastiche of a Presidency, Imitating a Life, in 957 Pages
    Conservatives continually accuse the NY Times of being a hopelessly liberal paper. Perhaps. But take a look at the savaging it delivers to Clinton's memoir!
    
    "The book, which weighs in at more than 950 pages, is sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull — the sound of one man prattling away, not for the reader, but for himself and some distant recording angel of history. "
    
    Ouch! BTW, on Monday morning, the NY Times review was the lead item on the Drudge Report.
  • USA Today reviews Clinton Appearance on 60 Minutes
  • Newsweek - His book is vintage Clinton—by turns interesting and infuriating, inspiring and self-pitying. Unpacking the hotly anticipated memoir 'My Life'
    Note that the co-author of this review is Michael Isikoff, the Newsweek reporter who truly broke the story of Zippergate. (Remember, Matt Drudge's scoop was that Newsweek was holding Isikoff's story for a week.)
  • NY Post - SHAME-FACED BILL: I FOOLED AROUND 'BECAUSE I COULD'
    Book coverage, but no review.
  • Why no links to Fox News or Washington Times?
    Because as near as I can tell, they haven't reviewed the book yet.

Monday - June 21, 2004

• "Mallard" Artist Ruffles Liberal Feathers
  Cartoonist Bruce Tinsley brings a conservative view to the comics page. But is he the only one? Also, would you believe he's married to a civil rights attorney? (LA Times) Thanks to Romenesko for this item.
  • Mallard Filmore Home Page
• New Media - Advertising in Video Games
  Advertisers are wondering how to reach young men. Maybe through video games? (USA Today)
• Do Magazine Covers Raise Too Many Questions?
  It's not the photos or the words that are questionable, it's how many questions that are on the covers! (CBS MarketWatch)

Saturday - June 19, 2004

• Audio Weekend: Pop Culture / Media News from NPR
  On the weekend, Living in a Media World features a wrap up of audio stories from National Public Radio that deal with pop culture and/or media issues.
  • A Look at Control Room
    Earlier this week we took a look at the documentary Control Room, which looks at how the Arab satellite news channel al-Jazeera portrayed the recent war with Iraq. This story features an interview with an al-Jazeera reporter who is currently traveling with the film's director.
  • Madonna Now Wants to be Known as Esther
    I refuse to say anything more about this story! Listen to it if you must.
  • Hip-Hop Goes Political
    NPR reports on the National Hip-Hop Political Convention.
  • What is Beautiful?
    NPR reporter Susan Stamberg (the original host of All Things Considered) talks with the editor of Allure magazine about the nature of beauty.
  • Commentary: Understanding the Teen-Aged TV Mind
    TV writer and commentator Lori Gottlieb looks at the challenge of writing for and about teens.
  • World Music - Sounds of Ethiopia
    A multi-volume CD series looks the musical traditions of Ethiopia from 1960 to today.
  • Reviewing United Airlines Television Ads
    Slate's Seth Stevenson reviews United Airline's latest television commercials. Includes links to view the ads.

Friday - June 18, 2004

• Magazines "Extending the Brand" to Bring in Transaction Revenue
  Magazines are putting their names on products and selling them through their pages as a new way of raising revenue. Maxim sells hair color for men, and Prevention is putting its name on vitamins. (NY Times)

Thursday - June 17, 2004

• Why Do Some Rumors Spread and Some Die on the Blog Circuit?
  Hint - It may be because some are true and some are false. Blogger Mark Glaser at the Online Journalism Review looks at how two political rumors came and went this spring. (Thanks to Romenesko for this item.)
• Candidates Have a Hard Time Reaching Voters With So Many Channels
  When there are hundreds of media vehicles to advertise in, how does a campaign choose which to use? And how do you reach all the voters when none of them are at the same place? (Washington Post)
• Control Room Looks at Al-Jazeera and Differing Perceptions of War With Iraq
  Egyptian-American filmmaker Jehane Noujaim looks at differing perceptions of the recent war with Iraq by looking through the eyes of the independent Arab satellite news channel al-Jazeera. (Washington Post)
• Sony-BMG Labels Contemplate Merger
  The combined company would become world's largest music label. (USA Today)

Wednesday - June 16, 2004

• Why's Everybody Always Picking on Me!
  A recent commercial for the new comedy/horror film The Stepford Wives features Hillary Clinton's head pasted onto the body of a bosomy housewife holding a tray of biscuits, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice's head placed on the body of a "topless hottie." A TV viewer in Kansas City asks, "Would they have done this to Henry Kissinger?" (Richard Leiby's Reliable Source at the WP.)
• Handling Racially Charged Remarks
  Poynter's Thomas T. Huang considers recent racially charged remarks by Bill Parcells and Larry Bird. Has the press gotten too sensitive when it comes to race?

Tuesday - June 15, 2004

• NBC Winning the Ad Wars; CBS Close Behind
  The upfront ad sales season is coming to a close, with NBC on top with about $2.9 billion in sales. Overall, the six major networks have sold nearly $9 billion in advertising for the fall. (Washington Post)
• Hillary and Rupert Form Unlikely Alliance Against Nielsen
  Liberal politician Hillary Clinton and conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch have formed an unlikely coalition to fight the new Nielsen people meter system that they say under counts the number of minority viewers. Politics and media are never as clear cut as they seem! (NY Times)
• Web Creator Receives Million Euro Prize
  As mentioned here earlier, Web creator Tim Berners-Lee has received a major technology prize for his creation of the World Wide Web. Of course, the most notable thing about his invention is that he gave it away to the world! (NY Times)
• Swapping Movies on P2P Networks Declining
  USA Today reports that the swapping of copyright movies is starting to decline - maybe. Or maybe swappers are just getting more stealthy!

Monday - June 14, 2004

• Are Efforts to Promote Fahrenheit 9/11 a Movie or a Presidential Campaign?
  The LA Times has a fascinating look at how Michael Moore and Harvey Weinstein are going to go about promoting the vehemently anti-Bush film Fahrenheit 9/11. HINT: It's not going to be pretty.
• Homer Simpson, the Oxford English Dictionary, and Doh!
  Homer Simpson's catchphrase 'doh!' is number one in Britain. (Reuters)
• Big Music Retailers Decline to Fight iTunes
  The big music brick and mortar stores have decided not to go after Apple's iTunes because the market is to small and the costs are too high. (CNET)
• How Google Makes Money From Advertising
  Google has figured out how to make money selling advertising on the Internet, and it isn't with banner ads or pop ups. (NY Times)

Saturday - June 12, 2004

• Ray Charles Remembered
  Singer Ray Charles, whom many credit with creating the genre of soul music, died this week at age 73. Here are tributes, remembrances, and samples of his music from around the media. And when you're done reading and listening to these, go rent The Blues Brothers, and "shake, shake, shake your tailfeathers!"
  • NPR Remembers an "American Legend"
    Expanded web coverage with two broadcast stories, a web-only career retrospective, photos, historic broadcasts, and music.
  • Rhino Records Remembers "Brother Ray"
    Charles's record label offers up streaming music and tributes. (Including a 20-song long listening party!)
  • USA Today's Tribute
    Previous stories, his obit, and multi-media content.
  • Washington Post's Coverage
    Time's like this are when you really appreciate what the web can do that other media can't. Photos, audio, and music accompany appreciations and an obit.
  • NY Times Coverage
    An appreciation, along with music excerpts, slides, and video.
  • The Rolling Stone Interview
    In 1973, Rolling Stone magazine featured Ray Charles in it's extended interview feature.
  • Ray Charles in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

Friday - June 11, 2004

• Book News
  • Marketing Bill Clinton's Memoir
    The folks at Knopf are ramping up the promo machine for Bill Clinton's 900+ page book. Take a look for how a big budget book gets marketed. (Washington Post)
  • Tolstoy's Anna Karenina Tops USA Bestseller List
    Oprah is going to feature it in her book club.
  • Poynter's Book Babes Dish on the Chicago Book Expo
• Howard Kurtz - Fewer Republicans Trust the News
  Republicans are more likely to mistrust the news than are Democrats, and the distrust has grown since Bush became president, according to a recent survey.
• Life Magazine to be Revived as Newspaper Supplement
  Life has been in several forms over the years - a weekly, a monthly, a special issue publication - but Time Warner is looking to now become a newspaper supplement magazine along the lines of Parade or USA Weekend.

Thursday - June 10, 2004

• Clear Channel & FCC Reach Record Indecency Settlement
  Clear Channel is going to pay a $1.75 million fine to settle current and pending indecency complaints. These are based on the Howard Stern Show and several other shock jock programs. The previous record was $1.7 million paid by Inifinity Broadcasting, which distributes Stern's show.
  • The Howard Stern Show
  • The FCC
  • Clear Channel Communications
  • Infinity Broadcasting

Wednesday - June 9, 2004

• Critiquing a Campaign Story
  Recently the Washington Post ran a story on President Bush's campaign commercials claiming that they were more negative earlier than any previous campaign. Here is a link to the story, and to the WP ombudsman's response to it:
  • Original Negative Campaign Story
  • Ombudsman Michael Getler's Response
  • WP's Election 2004 Page
• MTV Shows Good Taste!
  In a stunning outbreak of good taste, MTV is planning to edit out a shot off rapper Eminem mooning the audience from its broadcast of the MTV Movie Awards. One can only hope that MTV execs are doing this because it's the right thing to do and not because of fear of the FCC...
• Bowling for Soup Talks About Breaking Into the Music Business (BBC)
  The punk-pop band Bowling for Soup talks with the BBC about touring through the club circuit and trying to make it as a band.

Tuesday - June 8, 2004

• D-Day: 60 Years Ago
  The Newseum has put together a Flash feature on how D-Day was covered back when it actually happened. Radio coverage and newspaper pages.
• Broadcast Decency Movement Losing Steam
  The effort to ban "indecent" material from the airwaves has slowed down since Janet Jackson exposed her breast on the Super Bowl broadcast in January. The NY Times explains why.
• Miramax and Disney Consider Splitting Up
  Disney and its art house subsidiary Miramax have been fussing lately over the distribution of Michael Moore's latest film. Now the question is, Can they stay together? Executives at the companies are making noises about a possible split up. (NY Times)
• Super Size Me Documentary is a Hit
  Since it received general release on May 7, the fast food documentary Super Size Me has taken in $6.2 million, making it the fifth most successful documentary ever, box-office-wise. It only cost $65,000 to make, so that box office looks pretty good! (USA Today)

Monday - June 7, 2004

• Ronald Reagan Remembered
  Regardless of your politics, you have to admire how former President Ronald Reagan could speak to the public through the media. He had a keen understanding of public relations and what would play well on television and radio. Reagan was the president who started the tradition of weekly radio addresses that every president since him has followed. President Reagan died Saturday at age 93. I will be updating this entry as I have time with stories about Reagan and the media.
  • WP Film Critic Stephen Hunter Remembers Reagan the Actor
  • WP's Howard Kurtz Discusses Reagan and the Press
  • WP Television Critic Tom Shales on Reagan
  • The Films of Ronald Reagan
  • Audio Excerpts from Reagan's Speeches (NPR)
  • Weekend Edition's Liane Hansen's retrospective on Reagan's Speeches (NPR)
  • LA Times Photo Feature on Reagan's Hollywood Days
  • Reagan's Political Development in Hollywood (LA Times)
  • BBC on Reagan's Film Career

Saturday - June 5, 2004

• Audio Weekend: Pop Culture / Media News from NPR
  On the weekend, Living in a Media World features a wrap up of audio stories from National Public Radio that deal with pop culture and/or media issues.
  • And What Does the "F" in KFC Stand For?
    The Federal Trade Commission has told that the company formally known as Kentucky Fried Chicken has to stop advertising fried chicken as a healthy alternative to other fast foods.
  • Harry Potter & Left Behind - Separated at Birth?
    Slate contributor Steven Waldman sees strong similarities between the Harry Potter books and the Left Behind series of Christian apocalyptic novels.
  • Looking at the Future of Viacom
    NPR looks at the future of Viacom now that COO Mel Karmazan has resigned.
  • Frank Deford: Reality TV v. Traditional Sports
    A fascinating analysis by legendary sports writer Frank Deford as to why many viewers prefer reality TV contests to traditional sports.
  • Commentary: Taking the "Color" Out of Color TV
    Commentator Bob Thompson talks about what has been lost with the fight against indecency.
  • Sesame Street Is In 35th Season
    PBS's Sesame Street is in its 35th season, but it's facing staff cuts and a smaller number of episodes.
  • Pricing Television Advertising
    Ad rates are up and viewership is down. What will happen to network television if this trend continues?
  • Nick Drake Returns to the Musical Forefront
    Singer-songwriter Nick Drake died in 1974 of a drug overdose, but his haunting music has continued to attract attention. Two or three years ago, Volkswagon spurred a revival of interest in Drake when it used his song "Pink Moon" in a memorable commercial that showed at movie theaters that showed a group of young people driving past a party in a convertible. Now, a previously unreleased Drake song is a hit in Britain.
    • Nick Drake's "Tow The Line"
    • Story About Nick Drake Radio Documentary
    • BBC Nick Drake Page
  • Conflict in Russian TV News
    A popular Russian television journalist has been fired after running an interview with the widow of a murdered Chechen rebel leader. The NTV channel he worked for is alledgedly independent, but some see a return to state censorship with his firing. Others say the fears of this are exaggerated. An interesting update on the world of Russian television news.

Friday - June 4, 2004

• I Know You're Shocked, But The Beatles Wrote Songs About Drugs
  Sir Paul McCartney, in a recent interview with the newspaper the Daily MIrror, admits that some of the Beatles songs were about drugs. Though they weren't necessarily the songs you think. (Well, some of them were...) (Washinton Post)
  • The Article from the Daily Mirror
    But the best thing about this interview is not the drug information -- it's Paul talking about working with John Lennon.
• Bill Clinton Poised to Become Bestselling Author
  Bill Clinton's 900+ page memoir is expected to be the non-fiction bestseller of the summer. But will it live up to the hype? The American Booksellers Asscoiation hopes so. (Washington Post)

Thursday - June 3, 2004

• Changes at Viacom
  The big media news this week is Mel Karmazin stepping down as the number 2 person at Viacom. (Sumner Redstone, at age 80, is the man in charge of the second or third largest media company in the US.) Here is a range of stories on the topic.
  • Shakeup at Viacom May Lead to Changes in Radio Industry (Reuters)
    Karmazin may try to buy Infinity Radio from Viacom
  • NY Times asks: "What Does All This Mean for Howard Stern?"
    Karmazin was Stern's biggest supporter at Viacom. So now what happens to him? Satellite radio is being talked about.
  • Where will Karmazin Land? (NY Times)
    Now that Karmazin is a free man (or will be in a couple of months), where will he choose to go? Disney, maybe?
  • Who Will Take Karmazin's Job? Redstone's Daughter, Perhaps?
    USA Today speculates that Sumner Redstone's daughter Shari might be in line to be COO at Viacom.
  • Commentary on Viacom from WP TV Columnist Lisa de Moraes

Wednesday - June 2, 2004

• Political Controversies & The Press
  I've mentioned before that I'm not happy with the charges of liberalism or conservatism in the media. There's plenty of attitude to go around for everyone these days. But it seems as if the issue has been showing up a bit in the news lately. So here's a sampling of recent stories on the topic. (Thanks to Romenesko for some of these items.)
  • Doonesbury Cartoonist Gary Trudeau Draws Controversy (Boston Globe)
  • How Liberal is the Akron Beacon Journal? You Might Be Surprised
  • Maybe It's an Institutional Bias With The Same Stories Playing Again and Again and Again... (Washington Post)
  • British v. American Approaches to Objectivity (CJR)

Tuesday - June 1, 2004

• Weekend Movie News
  • Shrek 2 Tops TDAT, But Both Do Big Biz
    The Day After Tomorrow had a record opening, but it still wasn't enough to topple the Big Green Guy from the top of the box office charts. Why? In the first week, some teens have been back to see Shrek three or more times. Repeat business is where it's at. (USA Today)
  • Critics v. The Public
    Everyone assumes that the critics like different movies than the public, but a little study by USA Today questions that conventional wisdom.
  • Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 Gets Distribution Deal
    Miramax founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein have purchased the rights to distribute the controversial Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 451 from Walt Disney Co. Now, here is where it gets confusing. Miramax is the "independent" film company owned by Disney. Miramax was to distribute Moore's anti-Bush film, but Disney decided the movie was too hot for them to handle. So Disney sold the rights the Weinsteins personally to distribute the film. Can you say convoluted? I knew you could! (Reuters)
• Winds of Change Blow at Viacom
  Mel Karmazin is stepping down as president of media giant Viacom. (NY Times)
  • Might This Mean Howard Stern Will Be Leaving Viacom?
    Scroll down in CNN's version of the story to see how this may affect Howard Stern's employment.