Permanent link to MTA daily media news

Catch-22 Revisited (Think Again by Eric Alterman at the Center for American Progress)
While primaries and scandals distract the media, the Bush administration’s defense of torture doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

Future debates
Barack Obama has agreed to two more debates with Democratic presidential primary rival Hillary Clinton, his campaign said today. The first will be in Philadelphia on April 16, hosted by ABC News. The second will be somewhere in North Carolina on April 19, hosted by CBS News. Pennsylvania’s primary is set for April 22, and the North Carolina’s primary is in May.

The Media Repeats Stream of Lies About Obama (by Ari Berman, The Nation. Posted at AlterNet)
He’s been defended by AIPAC on his Israel views, made it clear that he’s Christian, yet the media keeps swallowing right-wing lies.
Well, we told you, Obama fans.  The Democratic frontrunner is always treated like this.  Did you REALLY think he was going to be exempt?  What have we been fighting all this time?

Racial rifts tear at Democrats (by Peter Wallsten, Los Angeles Times, posted at the Raleigh, NC, News Observer)
In the latest sign of a racial rift, two prominent black pastors warned Wednesday that if Clinton is the nominee, black voters could become so discouraged by the campaign that they might stay home in November. “This is a virtual race war, politically,” said the Rev. Eugene Rivers of the Azusa Christian Community, a Pentecostal church in Boston.
Isn’t it interesting that this article would appear this week in a North Carolina newspaper, when that state’s primary will be coming up on May 6?  But it’s Clinton, oh yeah CLINTON, who’s stirring the racial hornet’s nest.

Obama’s Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11 (by Brian Ross at ABC News)
Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor says blacks should not sing “God Bless America” but “God damn America.” The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side, has a long history of what even Obama’s campaign aides concede is “inflammatory rhetoric,” including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own “terrorism.” In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, “I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial.” He said Rev. Wright “is like an old uncle who says things I don’t always agree with,” telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family. Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope.”
Click through to watch the video.

My Own Special Comment (by Fleaflicker at No Quarter)
The stuff Reverend Wright said about 9/11 alone is enough to disqualify Obama for the Presidency in my book. The excuse that Obama has said he didn’t agree with it and all that crap just doesn’t cut it with me. If the situation were reversed and a white candidate for the same office attended a church for 20 years where they espoused KKK type viewpoints all hell would be breaking out throughout this country. And rightly so… Obama’s candidacy has managed to not only split the Democratic party, it has managed to undo the great strides we have made in the past 40 years toward achieving racial equality and equal opportunity. For the good of our party and for the sake of our nation I respectfully request that Senator Obama withdraw from this race.

Obama must go (by John in LA at Liberal Rapture)
Obama must quit the race now for the good of the party. He chose to be a member of a racist church for 20 years. He was married by a thug who screams God Damn America! from the pulpit. His children were baptised by the same thug. Blood is in the water. Obama has shown a stunning lack of judgement and he deserves the full wrath of the mislead voters. SuperDelegates take note! Right thinking Democrats in districts across America are going to be up in arms. Switch to Clinton now. Thanks to ABC news we now know the truth. Obama is a fraud. If he is the nominee he will win Washington DC and that is all. Not only do we need a Florida Michigan re-VOTE. WE NEED A NATIONAL RE VOTE. OBAMA: LEAVE THE RACE NOW.

Tell It Like It Is (by Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo)
[Thursday] morning Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright is in the news again. They did a segment on him on Good Morning America… Particulars aside, the political relevance is to show Wright as angry black man; and to tie him to Obama. If Obama’s the nominee, we will see no end of this kind of stuff. And there’s probably some small benefit of getting a preview. But the simple :fact is that we wouldn’t be seeing this stuff now if it weren’t for the fact that this is the kind of campaign Hillary Clinton’s campaign has decided to wage .
My message to Josh: “Oh, pleeeeeze!  Where’s your proof, Josh?  You’re just making this stuff up!” Write to Josh yourself at talk-at-talkingpointsmemo-dot-com.

GOP pollster: Clinton camp ‘extraordinarily insulting’ to black voters (On Politics, USA Today)
Republican pollster Bill McInturff told reporters today at a breakfast that Democrats have not won a majority of the white vote in a presidential election since 1964. Black voters by contrast are loyal Democrats, he said, which makes Democrat Hillary Clinton’s treatment of them puzzling. McInturff said talking about rival Barack Obama as a vice presidential running mate, when she’s lost 30 primaries and caucuses and is losing to him on delegates needed for the nomination, is “extraordinarily insulting” to African-American voters. “That’s what they’re flirting with,” he said.
And this Republican consultant has NO INCENTIVE WHATEVER to fan the flames of Hillary hate.

Olbermann’s Hillary Comments about Ferraro, More Campaiging for Obama (by D. Cupples at Buck Naked Politics)
MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann did a “Special Commentary” on Hillary Clinton’s Campaign.   It was hyped as the “first time” Olbermann would single out a campaign — though, he and others at MSNBC have regularly singled out Obama and Hillary, lavishing praise (and drool) on the former and lobbing dirt at the latter… Olbermann began by saying that he has not endorsed Barack Obama.  Then, he campaigned for Obama for about 9 minutes and 48 seconds. Main thesis: Olbermann tried to paint Hillary as a racist based on what Ferraro had said.
What’s Olbermann’s incentive?  Ratings, of course.  Especially ratings in the young demographic.

BY THE WAY: (by Bob Somerby at The Daily Howler)
Earth to Olbermann: Nothing is dumber than pretending that advisers force candidates to behave as they do. (For some reason, pseudo-liberals adore this game.) Those advisers are hired by the candidates! It’s the candidate who accepts—or rejects—the adviser’s advice. We know, we know—he was trying to keep Clinton out of it! If only he decided to do the same for David Duke!

ready on day whooops! (skippy the bush kangaroo)
joe gandelman of the moderate voice goes beyond the racistial aspect of the ferraro fiasco, and asks the pertinent question about clinton’s campaign: “it has now gotten to the point the point where you want to ask: what is in their water?…is foot and mouth disease going around?… note to mrs. clinton: many independent voters will either stay home, vote for a third party candidate for vote for john mccain rather than vote for a campaign that is an increasing medley of negativity, racial innuendo and personal attacks rather than a discussion of the serious issues. and if the nomination is won with tactics such as this, many democrats wills stay home. if you win? with so many bitter feelings, count on a one term presidency.”
My comment: We seem to be well past the point where Obama supporters have assumed he has won the race. He has not. Just as his supporters wouldn’t want him to quit if he still had a chance at the nomination, Clinton’s supporters don’t want her to just roll over and die. Remember how we wanted Al Gore to fight for the presidency in 2000, despite the assumption of the media and the Supreme Court that Bush had won, before the votes were all counted? That’s how Clinton supporters feel.

RACE BAITING…. (by Kevin Drum at Political Animal, The Washington Monthly)
Which campaign is injecting racial politics into the Democratic primary?… Maybe Hillary’s campaign really is behind all this stuff. Maybe they really are that stupid. But all the people who “know” Hillary is responsible sound an awful lot like all the people who “knew” Hillary had murdered Vince Foster back in the 90s. One way or another, I sure feel like I’m being played. I’m just not sure by whom… But has she been race baiting? I know we all “know” she has been, but the evidence is spectacularly thin — and, frankly, there’s nothing in Hillary’s past to make me think she’d do this. This is really not a charge that we should be throwing around so lightly.
Finally, a touch of sanity from an Obama supporter.  But then there’s another insanity, below.

25% of Hillary supporters would vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination. Way to go, Hillary. (by John Aravosis at AMERICAblog)
My message to John: “How on earth can you blame this on Hillary Clinton, John?  Honestly, the hate rhetoric has gone WAY over the top.”  And when does the unity part kick in, by the way?

Obama’s 2006 Earmarks (by Jeralyn at Talk Left)
Sen. Barack Obama released his list of 2006 legislation with earmarks [Thursday]… Among them, an $8 million request for the “High Explosive Air Burst Technology Program.” Ultimately, $1.3 million in funding was awarded for the program… “the defense project was overseen by General Dynamics, one of the nation’s largest military contractors. Obama’s Illinois finance chairman, James S. Crown, serves on the company’s board of directors and his family holds a sizable stake in the company.”

Obama’s 2006 Earmarks & the Crown Family (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
Do you remember the Crown family? Do you remember the Crown patriarch who sits on the board of Maytag? Do you recall that Barack Obama, as a U.S. Senate candidate, met with Maytag workers, asked for their donations and promised them he’d help save their jobs, and that he then went to the Crown family and took their large donations, but never said a word to Crown about saving the jobs of the Maytag workers? (Crown confirmed in a newspaper interview that Obama never asked him about saving the Maytag jobs.)
Gee, no one ever told Obama that the tenants in 11 buildings in his state senatorial district and built by his friend and fundraiser Tony Rezko were freezing to death, either.  Nobody ever tells the poor guy anything.

Obama says Illinois earmarks are public
Sen. Barack Obama is open about the pet projects he’s tucked into federal legislation, but his spending record as a state legislator has been a little murkier. Public records reveal Obama spent in excess of $6 million on more than 100 projects he sponsored as a state senator, from literacy programs and park improvements to drill team uniforms and jazz appreciation events. That spending covers just three of his nearly eight years in the Illinois Senate. State records don’t show whether he requested projects in other years. After repeated requests from The Associated Press for that information, Obama’s presidential campaign said Thursday night that he made no other extra spending requests during the rest of his legislative career. What’s shown in the public record is the only spending he added to the budget, the campaign said.

McCain To Media: Let’s Stay Together (by Mike Madden, Salon)
Now that he’s the nominee, reporters may not get to spend as much quality time with John McCain. Can McCain and the press make a long-distance relationship work?

Group asks, should GOP also return money from senator linked to prostitute? (Hot off the Trail, McClatchy Washington Bureau)
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asks [Thursday] whether Republicans should have to return campaign contributions from Sen. David Vitter, R-La., since he acknowledged using a Washington escort service. The group raises the question since Republicans this week demanded that Democrats return contributions from Democratic New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, caught using a call girl service.

Rove: Bush taught me how to be ‘honest.’ (Think Progress)
Earlier this week, PBS’ Charlie Rose posted an interview with Karl Rove in Rose’s “Green Room.” Rove was asked about the “mentors that most affect your career path.” He said it was Bush 41 and 43 who taught him his major life lessons: “Well I’ve been privileged to work for two men who’s last name is Bush. George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush are two pretty remarkable men. And I’ve learned a lot from them, learned a lot about life, learned a lot about character, learned a lot about loyalty and trust and honesty and straightforwardness.”
Click through to watch the video.

“Oil Is Priced In Dollars,” It’s There Again (by Dean Baker)
This is the second appearance in the NYT in the same day. In a discussion of the falling dollar, the NYT tells us in reference to the fall in the dollar, “yet Europe also has a silver lining. It has not been hit by skyrocketing oil prices because oil is priced in dollars and the dollar’s decline has kept oil prices down when translated into euros.” arghhhhhhhhhhh! The silver lining for Europe is that oil is not actually rising in price, or at least not by much. The dollar is falling in value. That means that it costs more dollars to buy a euro, to buy Japanese yen, and to buy a barrel of oil. It is that simple.

Media Matters for America headlines

• ABC’s Ross reported Wright’s 9-11 remarks — but not that Obama disavowed them

• Time cited Mitchell in purporting to examine Clinton’s role in Northern Ireland peace process, but not Mitchell’s affirmation of Clinton’s statements

• Contradicting polling, Dobbs claimed “illegal immigration” is among “the top three issues for American voters in both political parties”

• When will Fox News ask Rove about his reported role in “informally advising” McCain?

• Margaret Carlson falsely claimed, “Everyone responsible for bringing peace to Northern Ireland is on the record saying [Clinton's] claim to involvement there is complete fiction”

• Schlessinger again blamed wives for their husbands’ behavior

• On Morning Joe, Quinn repeated claim that Clinton and Silda Wall Spitzer stand beside their husbands because “they don’t want to lose that power”

Report faults FCC on complaint tracking
WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission processes 95 percent of the citizen complaints it receives but does a poor job of tracking how it resolves them, congressional auditors reported Thursday.

Famed War Reporter Hits Media On Iraq Coverage
As the fifth anniversary of the start of the war nears, Joe Galloway, one of the most respected war correspondents ever, looks back at press coverage of Iraq, and concludes: “In war, truth is too often the first casualty, and it is not just a president or a secretary of defense or assorted official spokesmen who do the killing. Our brothers and sisters in the media also participate in the execution.”

Locy, Former ‘USA Today’ Reporter, Using Her ‘Anthrax’ Contempt Case To Teach J-School Students
“I talk about it a lot in class, talking about sources and protecting sources,” says Toni Locy, now a West Virginia University professor who is facing massive fines for refusing to reveal sources for coverage of the 2001 anthrax attacks. “It helps them because they have a real world experience standing in front of them.”

“News and information is the new rock ‘n roll,” says Abrams
Lee Abrams, Tribune’s recently appointed innovation officer, tells employees in his first memo: “On a very personal level, it is important to me that I help Tribune fight ‘junk culture’. Smart re-invention that enlightens. Websites can be Disneyland for the mind; TV stations (especially news) can put the Kent Brockman cliche to rest and create a visual experience that intoxicates with brilliance and freshness; And Newspapers! We owe it to our culture to make sure they thrive…We can make America smarter. Not more elite…just smarter.”

Ex-NPR exec: Managing in public radio is like herding cats
“It can be difficult, often exasperating, but not completely impossible,” writes Jeffrey Dvorkin. “Occasionally, it can even be quite satisfying. But it can also break your heart.” The former NPR news veep and ombud says: “Too frequently NPR has gone outside the public radio system and recruited managers and editors who have come from a non-radio and non-news background, believing (falsely, in my opinion) that true journalistic legitimacy is found among the world of newspaper reporters and editors.”

Liberal talk radio hires ex-con Ney (The Hill)
Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) has landed his first job since being released from prison last month.
Ney is working in Columbus, Ohio, for the Talk Radio News Service (TRNS), thanks to his longtime friend Ellen Ratner. Ratner, a self-described “proud liberal” who is the TRNS bureau chief, confirmed that  Ney is working for the communications company as the ex-lawmaker stays in a halfway house.
Ellen Ratner is in Darfur right now with Thom Hartmann of Air America Radio.  I guess you really can’t abandon your friends, even when they’ve done something wrong.

Diller, Malone In Settlement Talks On IACI, WSJ Says
Liberty Media and IAC/Interactive are in settlement talks regarding the struggle for control of IACI now playing out in Delaware Chancery Court. In the case, Liberty’s John Malone is trying to wrestle control of IAC away from Barry Diller. Liberty holds a majority voting stake in IACI, but Diller holds the right to vote Liberty’s shares. The litigation focuses on IACI’s pending plan to split itself into five public companies; a key issue is whether Liberty would maintain its large stake in each individual piece.

CBS Chief Moonves Says He Is Pursuing Acquisitions
March 13 (Bloomberg) — CBS Corp. Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said he’s pursuing acquisitions to spur growth and considers the Weather Channel a good fit for the company.

MGM Makes a Hire to Expand Film Efforts
Moving to rebuild its movie production capacity, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. named Mary Parent as chairwoman for its worldwide motion picture group.

Fox Votes Out the Big Story
Fox News Channel, tinkering for the first time in eight years with its popular early evening lineup, is replacing its 5 p.m. news broadcast, “The Big Story,” with an election-theme program for the foreseeable future. The network confirmed this week that “America’s Election HQ,” a program that displaced “The Big Story” temporarily last month, would continue indefinitely. The program’s hosts, Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly, also anchor the network’s mid-morning newscast and are seen as rising stars on the channel. The change was first reported by the blog TVNewser.com. John Gibson, the longtime host of “The Big Story,” will continue to have a role on television, the network said, although it appears that his future for now lies mostly on radio.

Virtual Demos Over Net Censorship
Thousands of people are taking part in “virtual protests” against countries accused of censoring the internet.

Younger, Heavy Online News Consumers are Not Newspaper Readers, According to comScore Plan Metrix
RESTON, VA, March 13, 2008 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the results of a study of the differences in online behavior among heavy, medium, light and non-newspaper readers (segments defined below). The results showed that non-newspaper readers are likely to be younger, and they are actually heavier than average online news consumers. Meanwhile, heavy newspaper readers are more likely than average to engage with traditional print news brands online.

Microsoft and Yahoo met to discuss merger: report
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp and Yahoo Inc met on Monday to discuss Microsoft’s takeover offer for the Internet company, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

AOL to Pay $850M for Social Network Bebo
NEW YORK (AP) - AOL stepped up its bid to boost traffic and advertising opportunities worldwide as the struggling Internet company agreed Thursday to pay $850 million for the online hangout Bebo and a foothold in the growing arena of social media.

There goes the neighborhood (by Jeff Jarvis)
Poor Bebo. I feel for the residents of their hip and convivial apartment block. It has just been bought by a slumlord. AOL — which is paying $850m for the social networking site, the other Facebook — is where innovations go to die. Remember Netscape? Bought for $4.2b and now dead. AOL bought a mess of advertising platforms — Advertising.com, Quigo, Tacoda — and can’t make them to get along; the New York Times reports on continuing warfare that has resulted in AOL firing the business talent it just acquired… In its purchase of Bebo, AOL — like Yahoo, Time Warner, Microsoft, and no end of media companies — is trying to buy the strategy it doesn’t have. And that’s a strategy that rarely works. The terrible irony is that if anyone should have understood community and how to support, nurture, and profit from it, AOL should have.

Verizon Gets Cozy With P2P File-Sharers
NEW YORK (AP) - Peer-to-peer file sharing, the primary vehicle for online piracy, has been as unpopular with Internet service providers as it has been popular with users. Providers have banned, blocked or slowed peer-to-peer traffic in their efforts to keep the flood of music, video, games and software from overwhelming their networks. But Verizon Communications Inc. has broken ranks with the industry and is set to announce Friday that it plans to help its users share files faster - at least those who do it legally.

Rocker Lou Reed takes aim at new technology
AUSTIN, Texas (Billboard) - Lou Reed is lashing out at new modes of audio technology, saying that “people have got to demand a higher standard” than current MP3 music files.
Maybe my hearing isn’t that good, but I find MP3 recordings are just fine.

Chief Turns to Webcast to Pitch G.E.
Trying to convince investors that his company’s shares are worth buying, the chief executive of General Electric turned to new media on Thursday.

For a New Brand, Pepsi Starts the Buzz Online
Pepsi-Cola North America is bringing out a line of no-calorie, carbonated beverages with a campaign that is bypassing mainstay media like television and print.