In this edition: CIA leak investigation update; Media still slow to hold leaders accountable for Iraq statements; Woodward tries to save his ass; Editorial Cartoons; More networking cherry-picking of what political ads to air; DOESN’T ANYBODY HIRE FACTCHECKERS ANYMORE?! (Apparently not); Koppel says goodbye and lots on the new Nightline; Iraq Safety group to protect reporters in Iraq; `journalists’ don’t like investigating and aren’t putting in those FOIA requests; Kurtz’s conflicts of interest; a Colbert Report review; and lots more!

Thoughts, and Then, the News
From page 482 of the incomparable Katharine Graham autobiography, on Bob Woodward’s work habits:

Characteristically, Bob went right downstairs to the newsroom afterwards and made extensive notes about what we’d said–even going so far as to write down what we ate, the main course being eggs Benedict, which led to our future reference to this gathering as the “eggs-Benedict lunch.”

That was in reference to a meeting Graham, Woodward, and others had during Watergate. So, assuming that Woodward has kept up the extensive, timely note-keeping, what about Plamegate is in them?
Now for the news from the past week posted November 28, 2005:

Note: I’m going to put a %%% next to things that are more interesting or go into things more in-depth.

Sometimes the Media Does It’s Job
* Blitzer follows up on Murtha’s Iraq position in interview with WH communications director

The Daily Show & The Colbert Report
* The New Yorker article

Colbert’s articulateness and sonorous intonations add up to such a credible imitation of telegenic self-assuredness and conviction that everything he says sounds right. He’s a trim, well-groomed fellow who dresses in Brooks Brothers suits and comes across as a family man, a solid citizen, and a believer in making a good impression, thereby disguising his true intention as a comic performer, which is to pull the rug out from under anyone who happens to be standing on a rug. […] But Stewart’s humor has more to do with, to take the title page from Al Franken’s book, lies and the lying liars who tell them; Colbert goes after politicians, but he’s even more keen on lampooning people who love the sound of their own voice and the medium that enables them to broadcast it. Stewart’s satirical net goes deeper, and Colbert’s goes wider.

[…]

Colbert resembles nobody more than he does Bill O’Reilly, and, like O’Reilly, he conveys fake humility and easy rage toward inappropriate targets. On the first night, Colbert said that the program was dedicated to “you the heroes,” explaining that the heroes are “the people who watch this show.” In a nightly feature called “The Word,” he introduced that night’s entry: “truthiness.” Contemptuously acknowledging those who deny the word’s existence, Colbert excoriated the “wordinistas over at Webster’s” and dismissed dictionaries and reference books as élitist. A couple of weeks ago, he went after black holes: “I’m going on the record as being against this swirling vortex of nothingness. . . . Let me tell you something, black hole. You may have swallowed a hundred million suns, but now you’re dealing with America.” Pointing his finger at the camera, Colbert made one more rhetorical flourish: “Black hole at the center of the galaxy? You’re on notice.”
For all the delightful wordplay and nonsense, Colbert comes across pretty stiffly much of the time, because he remains in character during the whole show. There’s not a lot of breathing room, or room for any real seriousness, as there is on Stewart’s show. […] Colbert is very skillful at parodying people who are already parodies of themselves, and his show is a lot sharper than most of what passes for comedy on TV. At the end of the day, though–a day, say, on which a President says something foolish, or a Supreme Court nominee has to step aside, or a White House aide is indicted–the voice you’ll most want to hear is still Jon Stewart’s.

Reporters Just Trying to Stay Alive in Iraq

Ted Koppel Says Goodbye; Meet the New Nightline

TV Channels Could Use Some Consistency


Bob Woodward, Iraq, Judy Miller, Other Media Folk, and Plamegate


RWCM Watch

Media People

News & Notes on Media orgs, Programming, Specials, etc.

State of the Media, Trends, Research Reports, Innovations

Ratings, Circulation, & Ad Revenue Strength

Media News Monday is a compilation of media news from the past week posted on Monday. Media is an integral part of politics, and I think that it’s important to get to know media and media innovation in order to forecast future ways of campaigning, targeting voters, and disseminating information. If any of you are interested in campaigning, this weekly diary may help you with ideas.  It is also important to keep up with right wing corporate media (RWCM) news.  If you have any media news to add, please do so.  For more RWCM watch & Media News: Penndit’s News, Media News, and RWCM Watch Links. I get the advertising, public relations, targeting voters information, and media research from a variety of sources other than the links above.  Cross-posted at Penndit and My Left Wing. For previous editions, search my diaries or Penndit.  

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