Media & Politics (one section only today)
19-Nov-08
Permanent link to MTA daily media news
Emanuel Sets A Challenge (Wall Street Journal)
President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming White House chief of staff challenged chief executives and other business leaders Tuesday night to join the new administration in a push for universal health care, saying incremental increases in coverage won’t be acceptable. “When it gets rough out there, a lot of business leaders get out of the car and say, ‘We’re OK with minor reform.’ I’m challenging you today, we’re going to have to do big, serious things,” Rahm Emanuel said, speaking to The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council, a conference convened to elicit corporate opinion on the challenges facing the new president.
So Obama’s refusal to endorse a universal plan during the primary was just a way to diss Hillary? I am SO surprised. Nevertheless, I do think it’s a good thing to be talking universal, and to be persuading business leaders instead of just bowing to the right wing.
Obama repeats vow to move rapidly on climate issues (International Herald Tribune)
WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he intends to move rapidly on one of the most ambitious items on his agenda - tackling climate change. Speaking to a bipartisan group of governors by video on Tuesday, the president-elect said that despite the weakening economy, he had no intention of softening or delaying his aggressive targets for reducing emissions that cause the warming of the planet. “Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all,” Obama said. “Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response.” He repeated his campaign vow to reduce climate-altering carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and invest $150 billion in new energy-saving technologies.
Duke study says ‘going green’ will grow jobs in U.S. (McClatchy)
For all their talk of building a green economy — one flush with jobs that help protect the environment — most politicians have not said exactly where the new jobs would come from. A new study from Duke University tries to fill in the gaps.
Black Caucus members warn Obama can’t do everything (McClatchy)
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Rep. John Lewis jokingly says he’ll try to resist calling Barack Obama “Brother President” after he’s sworn in as the nation’s first African-American president on January 20.
Let’s lower those expectations, now! Don’t ask for too much! But to my mind, this is the very time to demand as much as possible. It so happens that Cornel West agrees with me. See below.
Cornel West on the Election of Barack Obama: “I Hope He Is a Progressive Lincoln, I Aspire to Be the Frederick Douglass to Put Pressure on Him” (Democracy Now)
Princeton University professor of religion and African American studies, Cornel West, speaks about the election of Barack Obama, his selection of Eric Holder to be Attorney General, the possible selection of Lawrence Summers to be Treasury Secretary and the role of the progressive left to push Obama.
Public distrust of government could hobble Obama (McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — Hold on to those clever caricatures of Barack Obama as Franklin D. Roosevelt for a bit. This election could end up more 1992 than 1932. Despite media-fed expectations of an FDR-like flood of legislation that would help Obama transform the country and its politics, there’s also a real chance that he could face a Bill Clinton-like morass that would stymie some of his boldest promises and lead to a backlash against his party and him. The key reason, two former Clinton White House insiders warn, is that Americans don’t trust the government, even if they want it to do things.
The main reason that Americans don’t trust government is that the right wing has spend 40 years and billions of dollars telling them and showing them that government can’t be trusted, and the Democrats haven’t countered with their own campaign to justify their much better stewardship when they do get in power. That lack of foresight by Democrats is not the fault of us liberals, and we shouldn’t have to pay for it.
Critical Thinking Amid the Elation (by Shannon Joyce Prince at the Black Agenda Report)
Obamist sections of the Left seem to believe it “doesn’t matter who Obama is, what he does, says, or stands for - he represents hope and change and that’s good enough.” Some folks are simply misinformed, and therefore blissful. “Many of the people that danced in the streets haven’t taken the time to do any research on Obama, so part of their euphoria is based on ignorance.” One is expected to partake in the party. “Those who castigate folks for not being appropriately jubilant at Obama’s election are insisting that blacks content themselves, in perpetuity, with symbolism instead of real change.”
White House lists new reasons for rejecting auto industry aid (McClatchy)
The White House Monday came out swinging against a Democratic plan to aid America’s ailing auto industry, as the Senate prepared to debate a $25 billion package.
Only Single Payer Health Care Can Save the US Auto Industry (by Bruce Dixon at the Black Agenda Report)
The crisis of the US auto industry has never been about greedy auto workers. Apart from the cost of pensions and medical care, US auto workers actually make less than many of their counterparts in Canada and Europe. US auto plants can’t compete with those in Japan, Canada and Europe because those societies offer government sponsored free health care as a human right. Early next year the new president and his party will have a choice. They can write Detroit the same kind of blank check they gave Wall Street. Or they can pass Single Payer health care, relieving employers of health care costs, promoting job growth and joining the rest of the industrial world in providing health care to everyone.
Enough With the Games - DO Something! (by Alegre)
Carl Levin (D-MI) has an interesting idea - loan the big three enough to keep them from taking the rest of the economy down with them on condition that the CEOs resign. Not sure that’s going to happen, but Levin makes some great points that seem to get missed in most of the reports lately. So much of our economy depends on the auto industry. When GM gets the sniffles - the world catches a cold. Folks say that for a reason… Sadly, it looks like the fools on the Hill and in the WH would rather play out a power struggle than help the millions who will lose their jobs and their health care coverage unless something’s done to keep the Big Three from going under.
Senate Democrats allow Lieberman to go unpunished: We ‘feel good about what we did today.’ (Think Progress)
[Tuesday] in a closed-door meeting, Senate Democrats voted 42-13 to allow Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, despite his attacks on Barack Obama during the campaign season. Shortly afterward, Senate Democrats held a press conference during which they stood by Lieberman and surrounded him with their support. Some highlights of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) remarks:
– “We’re looking forward, we’re not looking back.”
– “I understand anger. … I would defy anyone to be angrier than I was. But is this a time when we walk out of here and say, ‘Boy, did we get even?’”
– “I am satisfied with what we did today. I feel good about what we did today. I don’t apologize to anyone for what we did today.”
– “The question is, do I trust Senator Lieberman? The answer is yes, I trust Senator Lieberman.”
Click through to watch the press conference.
Has there been too much bipartisanship or too little? (by Glenn Greenwald at Unclaimed Territory, Salon)
Senate Democrats believe it’s important to reward someone with a powerful Chairmanship who has been a vehement supporter of George Bush, the war in Iraq, the full panoply of anti-constitutional abuses, and an amplifier of the most toxic right-wing toxic points. At the same time, they consider it a good thing to scorn their supporters on what they consider to be “the Left.” For anyone willing to hear it, they’ve made as clear and resounding a statement — again — about who they are and who they do and don’t listen to.
Freedom Rider: Obama and Lieberman: Two of a Kind (by Margaret Kimberley at the Black Agenda Report)
Why did Barack Obama save Joe Lieberman from being stripped of his top committee chairmanship? The short answer is, the two men “are equally cynical.” The most rightwing Democrat in the Senate actively campaigned for McCain/Palin, “believes in America’s war of terror, and in the ‘special relationship’ with Israel.” But Lieberman, with his vast financial connections, early on helped Obama “amass the biggest campaign treasury of all time.” Maybe Lieberman “wanted to make sure that the confident black man didn’t forget who was boss.”
Clinton Appointment Not Done But Close (Political Wire)
ABC News ”has learned that serious progress has been made on the notion of a Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.” “It is not yet a done deal, but sources say both President-elect Obama and Sen. Clinton are increasingly optimistic that her assignment will happen. And some Democrats say it could happen as early as in the next week.”
Hillary Might Reject State Offer (Politico)
Hillary Rodham Clinton isn’t certain she would accept the Secretary of State post even if Barack Obama offers it to her, several people close to the former first lady say. Press reports that portray Clinton as willing to accept the job – once the Obama transition team vets Bill Clinton’s philanthropic and business ventures – are inaccurate, one Clinton insider told Politico. “A lot of the speculation and reporting is out ahead of the facts here,” said the person, who requested anonymity. “She is still weighing this, independent of President Clinton’s work.” Clinton, the person said, remains deeply “torn” between the possibility of serving in Obama’s cabinet and remaining in the Senate to “help pass health care and work on a broad range of domestic issues.”
I have to say I’m surprised by all this back and forth. The Obama campaign was very tight, and had no unauthorized leaks. I’m thinking that the transition team is the same. That means Obama is using these leaks as a way to pressure Hillary into accepting the position, or as a way to control or to further humiliate her and Bill. The pressure is unseemly.
A Wrinkle in the Obama-Clinton Negotiations (by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
There has even been talk of the Obama White House wanting to approve every speech the former President Gives gives, or any new source of income. And while the former President’s team says he’s willing to disclose that information ahead of time, they aren’t willing to submit each speech opportunity for approval. George H.W. Bush had no similar restrictions when he son was President, Clinton advocates say. Why would Bill Clinton have to stop doing what former presidents do — traveling the world, giving speeches, raising money for charitable works — when his wife is a mere Cabinet official?
Clinton business issues (by Paul Krugman)
Everywhere you look, there’s stuff about Bill Clinton’s donors and all that, often with the implication that there must inherently be something dirty going on, because, well, just because. But I guess that’s just the way things are. After all, do you remember all the grief President Bush got over his family’s questionable business ties? Neither do I.
How to fire Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Of course, Clinton has not been tapped for the position, but a number of pundits, in what may be a Beltway first, have wondered out loud about how Clinton would be/could be fired as Secretary of State. Does that strike anybody else as odd? I honestly don’t know the answer to this question (and yes, i spent the prerequisite 60 seconds Googling it), but who was the last Secretary of State who was even fired? I mean, it doesn’t strike me as something that’s even come up very often in the last 50 years. Yet for some reason, the chattering class thinks it must be pondered in terms of Clinton.
State Department Drama Continues (Lost in Transition, National Journal)
An adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said the former first lady is flattered by Obama’s offer to make her secretary of State, but has reservations about leaving her Senate post (New York Times).
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., has asked Clinton to shepherd health care reform through Congress (Los Angeles Times) and she is reportedly considering turning down Obama’s offer in favor of taking on this role (Politico).
Bill Clinton has “offered to submit future charitable and business activities to strict ethics reviews” if his wife is tapped to be the next secretary of State (Wall Street Journal).
Maybe the treatment for brain cancer has helped Teddy realize what an asshole he’s been to Hillary. He originally told her she couldn’t participate in the health care reform negotiations.
Clinton May Need to Pay Debt Before Accepting Post (Political Wire)
According to Bloomberg, Sen. Hillary Clinton “will face a financial decision if she is nominated as secretary of state: what to do about the more than $7 million in debts left over from her presidential campaign.” “She could pay off the bulk of her debt by liquidating her Senate campaign committee account. She also could legally continue to raise money, though that may present ethical concerns if she is serving in the Cabinet.”
Why can’t Chris Matthews quit the Clintons? (County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Here’s what the New York Post reported in terms of Matthews trashing Clinton while recently riding the Amtrak Acela [emphasis added]: “‘I don’t understand it,’ Matthews bellowed. ‘Why would he pick her? I thought we were done with the Clintons. She’ll just use it to build her power base. It’s Machiavellian. And then we’ll have Bill Clinton, too. I thought Obama didn’t want drama. He’ll have even more drama with her. She’s just a soap opera. If he doesn’t pick her, everyone will say she’s been dissed again, we’ll have to live through that again.’” You’ll note that Matthews exasperation (”I thought we were done with the Clintons’”) was matched nearly word-for-word by Maureen Dowd, another celebrity Clinton hater, in her Sunday column. And you can see that same deep sense of anger … as Christopher Hitchens advertises Clinton Derangement Syndrome on national television…
Politico overreaches (County Fair, Media Matters for America)
We’re not sure Ben Smith really came up with the goods to back up Politico’s provocative headline, “Cabinet post for Clinton roils Obamaland.” The entire piece only quotes one person on the record who raised doubts about Clinton as a possible Secretary of State, and that person’s not even connected with the campaign. Even the anonymous quotes are pretty tame… It makes us wonder whether the article was just the latest example of Politico pushing the media’s beloved Obama/Clinton “soap opera” narrative.
Hardball: Chris Hitchens Gets His Clinton Hate On (by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
Empirically speaking, Barack Obama possesses a special kind of charisma that inspires and uplifts people, as evidenced by the talk of an Obama baby boom due to the euphoria surrounding his election. What I don’t get is the diametrically opposite reaction that the Clintons, both separately and together, seem to evoke in The Villagers… The back-stabbing Bill and Hillary meme (one entirely conceived by GOP strategists, dutifully regurgitated in the media and swallowed sadly all-too-often by otherwise smart liberals) has gotten so out of hand that as Eric Boehlert reports for Media Matters, Fox News is already openly contemplating how Obama needs to fire her. For a job that (as of this writing) she has not been announced for and that does not take effect for another two months. Strike anyone else as premature?
The Stupidity that is CDS (by Anglachel)
Any blogger who participates in the continued hunting of President Clinton by the right wing and the MSM rather than helping to shoot down the bullshit demonstrates that he’s no different than Matt Drudge. Period. The pernicious effect of CDS [Clinton Derangement Syndrome] is that it has convinced vast swaths of the chattering class that the source of corruption in American politics is the Clintons, and that anything except them in a position of power is preferable to either of them having any authority, even that means Republicans or a Democrat who insists on keeping the political opposition with their hands in the cookie jar. The disconnect between their hysterical paranoia and reality would be amusing if it was not continually endangering the nation. Without CDS, would we have had W in the White House? I think not.
The one in which JSOM goes on about Clinton and the State department and how Shakespeare invented us. (by J -SOM at Liberal Rapture)
What bullshit Obama’s “broad coalition” is turning out to be. It apparently means Clinton Administration folks - oh and Chuck Hagel the Republican who put the INO in RINO… I would rather have Clintonites populating the Obama administration than Chicago Machine types and far lefty wash ups. Conflicting reports are out about whether Hillary will accept the Secretary of State job. Though, as a Clinton loyalist I am of two minds on this issue - mostly I hope she does take the job. The danger is real that Obama will blame her for anything that goes wrong in foreign policy under his watch. However, I don’t put much stock in the idea that it would ruin her. She is too smart… Added bonus: The freaks at Kos and Huffington have to deal with Hillary. They have to make room in their Clinton hating reptilian brains for the fact that THE ONE chose a Clinton for a high profile job. At some point the cognitive dissonance will cause at least a few cases of spontaneous human combustion. Please God, let it show up on youtube.
Ex-CIA Officials Tied to Rendition Program and Faulty Iraq Intel Tapped to Head Obama’s Intelligence Transition Team (Democracy Now)
John Brennan and Jami Miscik, both former intelligence officials under George Tenet, are leading Barack Obama’s review of intelligence agencies and helping make recommendations to the new administration. Brennan has supported warrantless wiretapping and extraordinary rendition, and Miscik was involved with the politicized intelligence alleging weapons of mass destruction in the lead-up to the war on Iraq. We speak with former CIA analyst Melvin Goodman and Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Obama Loves the 90s (by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
Eric Holder, Rahm Emanuel, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Greg Craig, Ron Klain, maybe Larry Summers… I feel like I should grow a goatee, smoke an American Spirit and crank up some Smashing Pumpkins. Gotta go, X-Files is on…
Eric Holder: US Attorney General (by masslib at Alegre’s Corner)
Obama has made a very good appointment in Eric Holder as Attorney General. Holder was first appointed an associate judge by Ronald Reagan. He later served as Bill Clinton’s US Attorney General for the District of Columbia and then Deputy Attorney General under President Clinton. Holder is competent, experienced and extremely capable to serve. He’s an excellent pick and will make a fine Attorney General for the United States. Holder is against the death penalty and is an outspoken critic of President Bush’s use of torture on alleged terror suspects. He marks another historic first in the new administration as the nation’s first African American to head the Justice Department.
Oh Great (by Susie at Suburban Guerrilla)
Via TalkLeft, this pointed reminder about Eric Holder, Obama’s AG nominee: “As U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., Eric Holder sought to raise marijuana penalties and restore mandatory minimum penalties for drug crimes.”
Obama in Talks With Gates (Political Wire)
President-elect Obama and Robert Gates are negotiating terms under which the defense secretary would remain as Pentagon chief in his administration, the Financial Times has learned. ”Mr Obama, through an intermediary, has approached Mr Gates, who has served as defense secretary under President George W. Bush since 2006, about accepting the position, which would place a respected Republican appointee in his cabinet. According to a source familiar with the situation, Mr Gates is seriously weighing the option. The two men are ironing out policy and personnel issues before a final offer could be made.”
Obama Picks Orszag as Budget Chief (Political Wire)
President-elect Obama “is preparing to tap Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag, once a veteran economic adviser in the Clinton White House, to become his budget director,” according to the National Journal. ”The Office of Management and Budget job — seen as a key post to help Obama deliver on his domestic policy agenda amidst the gloom of a $700 billion federal financial rescue, a recession and the prospects of a $1 trillion deficit next year — carries Cabinet rank. An announcement is expected soon, but could come with other personnel decisions Obama is making to lead the Treasury Department and National Economic Council in his White House.”
Lincoln and the myth of ‘Team of Rivals‘ (by Matthew Pinsker, thanks to Susie at Suburban Guerilla)
President Lincoln’s Cabinet was far more dysfunctional than Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book would have us believe.
Matthews: “You don’t need elections for this crap.” (County Fair, Media Matters for America )
Like clockwork (and as predicted) Chris Matthews chimes in with inane commentary about reports that Eric Holder will be the next Attorney General: “This is what you do when you don’t have elections: you simply promote the people … who had the deputy jobs… you can do this in any bureaucratic state; you can do it in the old Soviet Union. … you don’t need to hold elections to promote deputies to the top jobs … you don’t need elections for this crap.” Someone should tell Matthews that Eric Holder worked in the Justice Department during the Clinton administration, not the Bush administration. If there wasn’t an election, it’s a pretty safe bet President Bush wouldn’t name Holder AG.
Obama Interview Seen By 25 Million (Political Wire)
The 60 Minutes interview with President-elect Barack Obama drew 25.1 million viewers last Sunday, the largest audience among all the programs on television so far this season. The audience was also the program’s largest in nearly a decade.
The Hologram Named Obama - with update: The theme song for the coming Obama years ( by J –SOM at Liberal Rapture)
It is not that Obama’s B.S. did not matter to people - IT IS THAT PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW WTF or WHO THE “F” THEY WERE VOTING FOR. The propaganda machine that goes by these names:
CNN
CBS
MSNBC
NBC
ABC
New York Times
Washingtonpost
Americablog
Dailykos
Huffingtonpost
sold us a fable called Barrack Obama just as surely as many of them sold us the invasion of Iraq.
This is the Obama voter gene pool … (by dakinikat at The Confluence)
Several times during the last few weeks, I had a very dear friend of mine send me this list of what they considered ‘notable’ things so that I would just suddenly realize that none of the problems that I had with obama were based on anything but my refusal to admit I’m a closet bigot… So, tell me I’m not the only one that thinks that having your family up on stage with you, including your pregnant unwed daughter is no big deal. Why is it considered ‘parading’–an obviously prejorative word? All candidates appear on stage with their family. What difference would it make if it were Obama instead of Palin? The list just gets nuttier and nuttier… So I finally sent my response back to my long time friend saying I found this list of things to ponder pretty ridiculous…
But then it occured to me, how could any of these folks actually notice any of this? I’d bet none of them read papers and magazines other than maybe USA Today and People. They probably get what little news the read from the AP wire in their local newspapers and the same feed to their local news stations. So, when they get all haughty about Palin, ask them what they read? Ask them if they know who controls congress, who is the speaker of the house and the senate majority leader? Ask them what they think of the Bush Doctrine? My guess is that unless they’re out here in blog land with a few of us, you’d better switch to asking football questions if you really want answers.
Poll commissioned by Obama critics sparks controversy (On Politics, USA Today)
The conservative HowObamaGotElected.com commissioned a national survey of voters who cast their ballots for President-elect Barack Obama. It was done by Zogby International, which is defending itself against the charge that it produced a biased “push poll.” Zogby reports its results were not flattering: “Just 2% of voters who supported Barack Obama on Election Day obtained perfect or near-perfect scores on a post election test which gauged their knowledge of statements and scandals associated with the presidential tickets during the campaign.” Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com offers his critique of the survey here. He believes the survey fits the definition of a “push poll.”
One point that seems obvious to us: Regardless of whether there’s clear bias or not, there’s also no comparison made to either the general public or voters who cast their ballots for Republican John McCain. Are Obama voters any different? How savvy are most people about current affairs?… The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press did an extensive survey in 2007 aimed at testing “public knowledge of current affairs.”… Pew reported that on an A-F grading scale, “fully half would have failed” its test. And, “only about one-in-six would have earned an A or B.”
What’s important about the Obama poll, to me, is that people knew about all of the pitiful excuses for scandals ginned up by the media about Palin and McCain, but knew nothing about Obama or his campaign.
A serious proposal: We must disenfranchise the ignorant (by Joseph Cannon at Cannonfire)
[After linking to a number of YouTube videos where voters display their ignorance of history, government, and the people running for office:] My point is simple: These people should not be allowed to vote. I am very serious about this proposal. Democracy will be strengthened, not weakened, if the very ignorant are disenfranchised. Everyone who registers to vote should be required to pass a short and simple (very simple) test covering the major events of recent history, current events and civics… I propose issuing voter licenses, similar to drivers’ licenses… Some will argue that any test of a voter’s knowledge will return this country to the unhappy age of discrimination and Jim Crow. It is sadly true that, at one time, tests were used to keep black people from voting in various southern states. However, I am convinced that a bipartisan panel — one composed of representatives from all ethnic groups — can design a fair test. For that matter, I am convinced that a panel composed entirely of leading African Americans could come up with a perfectly fine list of questions.
It’s tempting, but I’m afraid the process would be too easy to corrupt.
‘Obama Trojan’ Rides Coattails of President-Elect (Dark Reading)
Spam email promises video of ‘amazing speech,’ but instead delivers information-stealing malware
Al-Qaida No. 2 brands Obama dishonorable (MSNBC)
CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri has criticized President-elect Barack Obama, calling him a demeaning racial term implying that Obama is a black American who does the bidding of whites.
Chest thumping.
Gingrich and Jindal Blame Republican Losses on Bush Rather Than Ideology (by Heather at Crooks and Liars)
From Face the Nation, Nov. 16, 2008: Newt Gingrich and Bobby Jindall discuss why the Republicans lost this year. As usual there were trying to fob it off on George Bush. Never mind that Bush went along with every single policy that is at the core of Republican ideology. And the fact they they defended him at every turn which led us down a path that has almost left the country completely bankrupt. Jindall tries to pump the “we’re a center-right nation” line that is littering our airwaves, but the facts don’t support it and neither did the election. And as usual, Newt wraps it up by saying Obama won because he was “Reaganite”.
Click through to watch the video.
Analysis: Obama won as more minorities, fewer whites voted (McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama’s 8.5 million-vote margin over John McCain was fueled by a more than 20 percent surge in minority voting, a new analysis of exit polling data suggests.
McCain Will Run for Re-Election (Political Wire)
“After much speculation that his failed presidential bid would be his last campaign, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has decided to run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2010,” according to Roll Call. Said a GOP source close to the Arizona senator: “He’s ready to get back. He likes the game. He likes the deals.”
Obama and McCain Meet (Political Wire)
From the pool report: “Asked about the goal of the meeting, Mr. Obama said, ‘We’re going to have a good conversation about how we can do some work together to fix up the country, and also to offer thanks to Sen. McCain for the outstanding service he’s already rendered.’ Sen. McCain was asked whether he would help Mr. Obama with his administration, and he responded, ‘Obviously.’ Your pool tried to get the President-elect to answer a question on the auto industry bail out, but was shouted down by the pool sherpas. Mr. Obama finally said with a smile, ‘You’re incorrigible.’”
Palin publicity blitz: no signs of slowing (McClatchy)
She’s a national political figure and one of the world’s most famous people. She’s also governor of Alaska.
New ethics complaint filed against Palin. (Think Progress)
A resident of Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R-AK) hometown of Wasilla filed a new ethics complaint against the governor, arguing that her recent media blitz broke state ethics rules because portions of the interviews took place in the governor’s office.
Gotta gin up more fake scandals. Can’t have a woman daring to pursue national office.
Palin Is First Confirmed Guest Speaker At CPAC 2009 (Think Progress)
[I]t appears that Palin’s post-election comeback tour will extend into next year. ThinkProgress spoke with Joseph Logue of the American Conservative Union who said that Palin is the first confirmed speaker for the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)… Other conservatives who have reportedly been invited to speak include Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).
Minnesota Recount Begins (Political Wire)
“Two weeks after the closest U.S. Senate election in Minnesota history, a massive hand recount of all 2.9 million votes gets underway today, with local officials working under the scrutiny of top lawyers brought in by both candidates,” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “At stake is possible control of the Senate, where Democrats are within a few seats of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority, putting intense pressure on county auditors who now find they may have to explain every decision they made in the closest race in the country.”
Stevens loses Alaska Senate race (AP)
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has lost his bid for a seventh term. The longest-serving Republican in the history of the Senate trailed Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by 3,724 votes after Tuesday’s count. That’s an insurmountable lead with only about 2,500 overseas ballots left to be counted.
Beau Biden says he won’t replacing his dad in Senate any time soon (On Politics)
“I will be fulfilling my military orders,” Beau Biden, son of Vice President-elect Joe Biden, tells The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., in an e-mail. “I have not sought and will not accept an appointment to the United States Senate.”
Good, I’m getting really sick of nepotism.
Campaign Finance Comes to the Highest Court (Capital Eye)
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up the issue whether a feature-length movie that supports or opposes a candidate for federal office should be considered an “electioneering communication” and, therefore, subject to campaign finance laws. The case comes to the highest court after a three-judge panel of the Federal District Court determined that an anti-Hillary Clinton movie and its advertisements by a conservative advocacy group should have included certain disclosures and been prohibited in the 30 days before the presidential primaries… The court will also hear a case over whether elected judges have to disqualify themselves when someone appearing before them has spent money to support their candidacy.
I am right now reading the John Grisham case about the buying of a state supreme court justice, which is based on the case before the Court.
COURT OF APPEALS DENIES REHEARING IN WILSON CASE - WILSONS WILL TAKE CASE AGAINST BUSH ADMIN. OFFICIALS TO SUPREME COURT (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington)
In response to the Court of Appeals November 17, 2008 denial of the Wilsons’ petition for rehearing of their civil case against Vice President Cheney, Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Richard Armitage and other unnamed officials, CREW’s executive director Melanie Sloan stated, “The Wilsons and their counsel are certainly disappointed by the Court of Appeals’ decision, but it is not over yet. Now we will petition the Supreme Court to hear the case.”
Who Could Have Known? (by Susie at Suburban Guerrilla)
Via David Sirota: “… ‘Bank lending to corporate America and individuals has not declined; Lending between banks has not dried up; Commercial paper (short-term borrowing by nonfinancial companies) has fallen, but not seized up as a source of commercial lending…’ If we are to believe this story - and it indeed quotes very credible economists - taxpayers were forced to give away hundreds of billions of dollars to banks that actually weren’t experiencing nearly the credit crisis they and our government officials claimed. Even if only part of this story is accurate and statistics have somewhat changed, it still means we were royally ripped off.”
I told you the financial panic was created by Bush. Every day I become more convinced that the Republican plan was to get Obama elected and the discredit the hell out of him.
Administration Moves to Protect Key Appointees (Washington Post)
Just weeks before leaving office, the Interior Department’s top lawyer has shifted half a dozen key deputies — including two former political appointees who have been involved in controversial environmental decisions — into senior civil service posts. The transfer of political appointees into permanent federal positions, called “burrowing” by career officials, creates security for those employees, and at least initially will deprive the incoming Obama administration of the chance to install its preferred appointees in some key jobs. Similar efforts are taking place at other agencies.
Last-minute Bush abortion ruling causes furor (International Herald Tribune)
WASHINGTON: A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job-discrimination laws. The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.” It would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and drugstores from requiring employees with religious or moral objections to “assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity” financed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
ACLU suit alleges U.S. used foreign nations to hold terror suspects without charges. ( Think Progress)
The ACLU [Tuesday filed] a suit alleging that the Bush administration has asked other nations to hold terrorism suspects whom the U.S. had not yet charged. The ACLU cites the case of Naji Hamdan, an American Muslim, who has been held for nearly three months in the United Arab Emirates “without charges, access to a lawyer or contact with his family.” Said an ACLU spokesperson: “If the U.S. government is responsible for this detention and we believe it is, this is clearly illegal because our government can’t contract away the Constitution by enlisting the aid of other governments that do not adhere to the Constitution’s requirements.” According to Hamdan’s wife, he “was ‘slapped‘ while being interrogated for four days, during which he was accused alternatively of being an al Qaida member or working for Israeli or U.S. intelligence.”
Taxpayers To Foot Bill For Gonzales’ Private Representation In DOJ Lawsuit (American Constitution Society)
Former U.S. Attorney General Gonzales facing a lawsuit over politicization of the Department of Justice has turned to a private attorney for representation. The decision reported by TPMMuckraker and McClatchy Newspapers, was approved by the DOJ and is likely to cost the taxpayers a lot more than the use of a public defender. According to the reports, typically attorneys from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division represent employees who are sued in connection with their official capacities. McClatchy reported that the DOJ, however, had approved Gonzales’ request for private representation… [A] former DOJ official … told McClatchy that the decision to provide private representation for Gonzales was “exceptional.”
Will we never stop paying for these people and their crimes?
Countdown: Possibility of Blanket Presidential Pardons (by Heather at Crooks and Liars)
From the Nov. 17, 2008 edition of Countdown, guest host David Shuster, filling in for Keith Olbermann, talks to Jonathan Turley about the possibility of George Bush issuing blanket pardons for the crimes committed by himself and his administration and what it means for the rule of law that remains in the United States… [Click through to listen] as Shuster and Turley both matter-of-factly admit that one of the problems that Obama has in committing to close Guantanamo is what to do with the detainees there because some of them could not go through our criminal justice system due to lack of evidence to hold them or because they’ve been tortured. No outrage. No wringing of hands that these people still exist, years later, within Guantanamo, as we count down the days until George Bush is finally out of office.
Yet the media can get up in arms about Hillary Clinton can “subvert her agenda” to serve as Secretary of State and rehash that ad nauseam? We can have an academic discussion on presidential pardons (and not fail to mention Clinton, mind you), but when it come to authentic crimes against humanity that merit a full blown trial in The Hague, the media yawns, as if it’s just par for course.
Commentary: Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue (By Joseph L. Galloway, McClatchy)
With two months still to go before his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama and his transition team are already getting off on the wrong foot, signaling that they have no intention of investigating anyone in the Bush administration for possible war crimes. What we’re talking about here is the torture of detained terrorist suspects in American custody in a grotesque violation of both our treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions and our historic principles as a democratic nation… Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue, and its no way to begin an administration that was elected on promises of change. What it says is that if you’re one of the elite and powerful, your violations of the law will be overlooked, no matter how much damage you did to our country’s standing in the world…
This nation was founded on the principle of equal justice under the law. No one — no one — ought to be able to skate or hold a get-out-of-jail-free card by virtue of having been the most powerful felon in the land, or of working for him.
Vice President Cheney indicted by Willacy County grand jury (The Brownsville Herald)
A Willacy County grand jury under District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra returned multi-count indictments Monday against Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, plus several other public officials. The indictment accuses Cheney and Gonzales of engaging in organized criminal activity. It criticizes Cheney’s investment in the Vanguard Group, which holds interests in the private prison companies running the federal detention centers. It accuses Cheney of a conflict of interest and “at least misdemeanor assaults” on detainees by working through the prison companies.
Perle still holding out for ‘George W. Bush Square’ in Baghdad. (Think Progress)
In September 2003, Iraq war architect Richard Perle famously stated that the Iraqis “have been liberated” and that “a year from now, I’ll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President Bush.” When Perle was asked about that comment in a recent interview with Foreign Policy magazine, he wouldn’t back down, claiming that “absolutely” the Iraqis have been liberated. He even suggested there’s still a chance his dream of a square named after Bush in Baghdad can be realized.
I like San Francisco’s idea of naming a sewage plant after Bush.
Kristol ‘ambivalent’ about extending contract as New York Times columnist. (Think Progress)
During a panel discussion [Tuesday], the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol was asked about rumors that he may be giving up his column at The New York Times after his contract expires next month. “I don’t think I’ve had that conversation yet,” Kristol said. But when asked if he wanted his contract to be renewed, Kristol didn’t seem too interested. “I’m ambivalent,” he said, “I haven’t really focused on it.” He then suggested the column just takes up too much of his time… Maybe all of Kristol’s error-filled Times columns that caused “all the dramatics in the blogosphere” were a result of him being “stretched a little thin.”
Still waiting for the Rightroots movement, cont’d (County Fair at Media Matters for America)
Boy, the press sure seems interested in right-wing blogosphere, even though it just got done embarrassing itself in the general election and still finds itself badly out manned by their liberal online counterparts. But as we noted yesterday, the press always thinks conservative bloggers are more interesting (and influential) than liberal ones. Joining Newsweek this week in toasting the ineffectual bloggers is The Hill. ”Right-wing bloggers see their chance,” reads the headline. The mag quotes lots of GOP Internet players who suggest it’s all a question of tactics and approach and that once conservatives make the right tweaks, the Rightroots movement will take off. We’re not so sure. We’re more inclined to believe that the biggest stumbling block for conservative bloggers to date has been their tendency to make stuff up… Once that’s fixed, they might stand a chance.
Web Sites That Dig for News Rise as Watchdogs (New York Times)
As America’s newspapers shrink and shed staff, and broadcast news outlets sink in the ratings, a new kind of Web-based news operation has arisen in several cities, forcing the papers to follow the stories they uncover. Their news coverage and hard-digging investigative reporting stand out in an Internet landscape long dominated by partisan commentary, gossip, vitriol, and amateurish citizen journalism.
Because you would NEVER find partisan commentary, gossip, vitriol, or amateurish journalism at the New York Times! Or maybe you would. Just read the Daily Howler on almost any day.
From Typealyzer:
The analysis indicates that the author of http://makethemaccountable.com is of the type:
ISTP - The Mechanics
The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generelly prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.
The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.
Analysis
This show what parts of the brain that were dominant during writing.
Not sure about the fun- and adventure-seeking part, I’m a bit too O-C for that, but I’m definitely more of a thinker than a feeler when it comes to figuring things out. And I would love to avoid interpersonal conflicts, but I won’t pretend to agree with people when I don’t. I get a lot of grief for that.
The Press Bought Into the Bailout — And Krugman Didn’t (by Howell Raines, writing at Portfolio)
Paul Krugman also wrote the single most important newspaper column of this fall’s meltdown. When the financial press was calling for immediate passage of Hank Paulson’s now-infamous three-page bailout plan, Krugman spotted its fatal flaw. Will the Pulitzer judges finally recognize his work?
A Bottom-Up Bailout Rather Than Trickle-Down (by Robert Reich)
Hank Paulson has just about burned through $300 billion, and it’s not clear what the public has got out of it. Perhaps things would be worse without the bailout but they’re certainly no better. Wall Street banks have not significantly stepped up their loans to small businesses, college students, car buyers, or distressed homeowners. Much of the auto industry is on the verge of bankruptcy. And the rate of foreclosures is rising. What happened to all the money? About a third has gone into dividends the banks are paying their shareholders. Some of the rest into executive salaries and bonuses. Another portion toward acquisitions designed to raise share values. Another chunk for bailing out giant insurer, AIG. That’s not what taxpayers bargained for.
NOTHING about the Bush administration is what we bargained for.
Media Matters for America headlines
• Hannity, Hewitt revive bogus “Obama recession” claim
• Fox News’ Barnes latest media figure to reference discredited Minnesota car ballot story
• Radio host Baker referred to Thomas Beatie as a “mutilated lesbian”
• Limbaugh’s guest host is latest radio host to compare current policies or proposals to slavery
Anna Politkovskaya trial to be open to public
A Russian court has ruled that the trial of the three men accused of involvement in the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya will be opened to the public. A ruling demanding that the case be heard behind closed doors was expected to be passed as some of the documents that may be introduced to the trial are considered secret by the Russian authorities.
NY judge tentatively OKs Google copyright deal
NEW YORK - A judge has tentatively approved a settlement of lawsuits between Google and book authors and publishers that may put millions of out-of-print texts online.
Online Piracy Costing Publishers Millions, Study Says
Web publishers are losing millions of dollars thanks to a problem as old as the commercial Internet: piracy. At least 1.5 times as many people are reading publishers’ stories on third party sites than on the publishers’ own sites, says a new study. Linked back or not, that cribbed content leaves publishers saddled with the creation costs but none of the ad revenue for presenting it to a reader.
Lawmaker plans bill on Web neutrality (Reuters)
A senior U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill in January that would bar Internet providers like AT&T Inc from blocking Web content, setting up a renewed battle over so-called network neutrality. Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, believes a law is essential to prevent telephone and cable companies from discriminating against Internet content, even though regulators have taken actions to enforce free Web principles, a top Dorgan aide said on Thursday.
Training a Gimlet Eye on the News Media and Finding Them Wanting
“The IFC Media Project,” a six-part series that has its premiere on the Independent Film Channel on Tuesday, calls itself a “user’s guide to how the news gets made.”
CrisisWire: Your Aggregate Source for a Catastrophe (Mashable)
The site is a “self-aggregating website” that pulls information in not only from Twitter, but a variety of sources, including blog posts, photos, and videos. The site was launched yesterday evening, which site founder Nate Ritter tells us was purely coincidental in it’s timing with the Santa Barbara Tea Fire. “During a disaster people spend valuable time searching the internet and waiting for the media to report on their city, their neighborhood, their street,” Nate told us. “While main stream media serves a vital role during disasters, it is impossible to update the population on everything that is happening during a crisis.” He went on to explain that CrisisWire bridges this gap by being a sort of personal “situation room.”
Ex-MSNBC Chief Taps Journalists as Consultants
Want good press? Hire a journalist. That’s Dan Abrams’s pitch. The former general manager of MSNBC is launching a media-strategy firm to help business executives navigate public-relations challenges — from major acquisitions to bothersome bloggers to outright scandals. The firm’s chief selling point will be a network of media insiders whose advice is available in exchange for an hourly fee.
Gosh, it sounds a LITTLE bit like extortion.
Out at NRO, Frum Launching New Site
Conservative writer David Frum will be launching a new site after he leaves National Review. “Starting over Inauguration Weekend, I’ll be launching a new website, NewMajority.com. It will be a group blog, featuring many different voices. Not all of them identify as conservatives or Republicans. But they — and people like them — are the people conservatives and Republicans need,” Frum wrote.
Do Journalists Have the Obligation to Report Stories Promptly? (by Adam Conner-Simons, Gelf Magazine)
In the campaign trail’s tightly controlled press environment, a little extra access can go a long way — and some reporters got extra acess because they promised the information wouldn’t come out until after the election. For a news source, agreements like these pose tricky questions. Journalists could find themselves faced with potentially election-changing information.
Times Writer’s Facebook Reporting Slammed (Public Editor Clark Hoyt, New York Times)
Jodi Kantor’s Facebook messages and a Times interview late last month with a 12-year-old witness to a high-profile arrest again tested where the balance is between the interests of the newspaper — and its readers — and the interests of children who may not understand the consequences of talking with a reporter.
As ASME Fortifies Ad/Edit Divide, Some Mags Flout It
The American Society of Magazine Editors plans to revise its guidelines for protecting editorial integrity next year for the first time since 2005 — and integrate the association’s much newer digital best practices for the first time. But with a lot of editors wondering whether they’ll have magazines to edit by this time next year, some question the need for rule polishing right now.
AP to provide Washington regional coverage for all states
AP’s restructuring plan will provide regional Washington coverage for 28 states that now are not represented. “Just as important, they’ll have a team focused on regional issues of vital relevance to them and, with the team structure, they will also have back-up,” says AP managing editor/US news Michael Oreskes.
Exclusive: Top 30 Newspaper Sites for October
October continued to be a good month for newspaper Web sites - most in the top 30 reported double-digit monthly unique gains. Only two, The Seattle Times and NJ.com had slight decreases, according to the latest data from Nielsen Online
Newspapers Face Fresh Printing Pressures
Newspapers, which are already bracing themselves for falling advertising sales as the global economy turns down, face more bad news next year as newsprint producers try to push through steep price increases. European newsprint producers led by Norske Skog, the world’s second-largest, are currently negotiating with customers to increase prices by up to 20 percent.
Newspaper industry’s leaders keep putting off drastic change
The newspaper execs who attended last week’s API “crisis summit” announced they’ll meet again in six months, prompting Martin Langeveld to write: “Six months? They’ve laid off more than 10,000 people in the last six months — what will be left six months from now? They need to launch a Manhattan project to blow up their industry and start over. Now, not six months from now.” Steve Outing adds: “This still looks like an industry in denial about how much it must change.”
Murdoch to ‘Cynics’: Newspapers Will Survive
Global media magnate Rupert Murdoch says doomsayers who are predicting the Internet will kill off newspapers are “misguided cynics” who fail to grasp that the online world is potentially a huge new market of information-hungry consumers. “Too many journalists seem to take a perverse pleasure in ruminating on their pending demise,” Murdoch said.
WSJ.com’s Third Super-Premium Tier Coming? (Paid Content)
Murdoch’s love for newspapers is undying, nevermind the near-death throes of the medium itself, and he reads it out (literally, on the radio) as part of a series of Australian radio lectures… [A]n interesting bit about WSJ.com: “One way we are planning to take advantage of online opportunities is by offering three tiers of content. The first will be the news that we put online for free. The second will be available for those who subscribe to wsj.com. And the third will be a premium service, designed to give its customers the ability to customise high-end financial news and analysis from around the world.”
Crosscut.com editor steps down as the Seattle site goes non-profit
Chuck Taylor says going from for-profit to non-profit status “is an exciting change that we think will make for a stronger platform for both professional and amateur local journalism. But it’s a legally complicated one that briefly interrupts cash flow, so I’m going to bow out, at least for a while.”
Newspapers Jettisoning Top Talent to Cut Costs (by David Carr, New York Times)
Circuit City fired its best employees and is now in bankruptcy. Are newspapers following the same path?
Palin’s Book Deal Said to Be Worth $7 Million
She failed to save John McCain from presidential election doom, but Sarah Palin, the Republican senator’s controversial running mate, may yet emerge as the savior of the American publishing industry. Literary agents are lining up to sign her to a book deal that could earn her up to $7 million.
Number Crunch: Downsizing at the Newsweeklies (by Jeff Bercovici, Portfolio)
Big newsweeklies and business titles have been periodically downsizing for years — closing foreign bureaus, shedding layers of reporters and researchers, buying out the oldest and priciest editors. So I did a little exercise: I dug up the mastheads of a number of magazines from 10 years ago and laid them alongside their recent counterparts for comparison, starting with Time and Newsweek.
2008 Was an Advertising Annus Horribilis for the Monthlies
With many companies at or on the verge of bankruptcy, it is no surprise that advertising is crumbling and magazine staff layoffs are abound. December’s -17.76% differential is comparable with December 2001’s -17.36%, when the first post-September 11 impact was felt. Crunching the monthlies’ year-end numbers: just 27 finished up in 2008 ad pages; 138 finished down.
Times Shuts Down Sports Magazine
The decision to close Play, which was first published in February 2006, marks another in a long list of contractions in the newspaper and magazine industries.
Ziff Davis To Close PCMag Print; Focus on Online; Still Looking For Options For Gaming Division (Paid Content)
Ziff Davis, the tech/gaming media company that recently exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is now taking the brave but inevitable step of closing down the print version of PCMag to focus its energy on its growing PCMag online network of sites, led by flagship PCmag.com. The magazine, which was started in 1982, has a storied history, but its print base eroded over the years as its core brand of journalism—news you can use while shopping for computers—moved online.
Forbes Memo Confirms Print, Web Staff Merging
Forbes Media is merging the staffs of business magazine and its online component, which currently run separately. A memo sent by CEO Steve Forbes to staff says that print and online sales and marketing will be immediately integrated, reporting up to an “office of the chairman” which includes Forbes.com publisher Jim Spanfeller. Integration of the Web and print editorial staff won’t happen until early 2009.
National Geographic getting into video games
National Geographic Ventures, a unit of the nonprofit National Geographic Society, was set to announce Tuesday it will work with game publishers to turn its material into games for PCs, consoles and handheld devices. “Our content is extremely well-suited for a global gaming audience,” said Paul Levine, a National Geographic executive who will lead the new games division. The games will be drawn from a broad range of content and themes across National Geographic’s properties.
Extinction Threatens Yellow-Pages Publishers
The yellow-pages industry is running out of lifelines. In recent years, as its customers migrated to the Web — flocking to sites like Google — the telephone-directory business followed, hoping the Internet would be its salvation. But that strategy hasn’t panned out. Now, the economic downturn is sending the already ailing business into a tailspin.
As Sirius, XM Signals Merge, Customers Are Confused
The XM-Sirius satellite radio merger is shifting the lineups — and in some cases the sentiments — of subscribers. The company began broadcasting its new lineup last week on both networks. XM lost channels including Soul Street and alt-rockers Fred, Ethel, and Lucy, and got Sirius’ counterparts. Likewise, decades-themed channels on Sirius were replaced by XM counterparts.
Joan Didion Writing Katharine Graham Biopic
HBO Films is developing a biopic about Katharine Graham, the venerable publisher of the Washington Post who oversaw the paper’s Watergate coverage leading to the resignation of President Nixon. The untitled project, which is in the very early stages of development, is being written by novelist Joan Didion and will follow Graham’s ascendancy to the top post at the newspaper.
No Post-Election Slump for Fox News
Conventional wisdom would suggest that cable news ratings were ripe for a precipitous fall once the cuticle-gnawing tension of the election finally abated on Nov. 4 at around 11 p.m. EST. And yet, in the first full week after voters selected Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States, Fox News Channel still delivered much larger nightly audiences than usual.
The Corpulent News Network
For much of the 2008 election, going-as-over-the-top-as-you-possibly-can might as well have served as CNN’s mission statement. CNN sponsored seven debates, piled up a roster of all-star political pundits, and unleashed an array of new audio-visual technology, some of it culled from the world of military defense contractors.
2 Fox and NBC Stations to Pool Video News Gathering
In a move intended to save money in the economically pressed business of local television news, two stations in Philadelphia owned by NBC and Fox are combining some of their video operations with a plan to provide the service to all the stations owned by each company. Executives from NBC and Fox compared the arrangement to the pool coverage that news outlets use to report on certain events.
Can NBC, Rosie Revive Variety Shows?
Having already revolutionized daytime talk and reinvigorated The View, Rosie O’Donnell is now hoping to resurrect one of television’s storied genres: the variety show. It’s a tall order — which may be one reason O’Donnell has enlisted some serious showbiz firepower for her Nov. 26 NBC special, dubbed Rosie Live.
If Oprah Goes, Time Slot War Starts
Whether The Oprah Winfrey Show will remain on the air after its contract expires in fall 2011 is an open question. By 2011, the Discovery-owned Oprah Winfrey Network will be two years old, and Discovery chief David Zaslav indicated during his company’s Nov. 7 earnings report that he expects Winfrey’s syndicated show to wrap after her current deal expires.
ESPN Hauls In Rights to Top College Bowl Games
College football’s biggest games are on the way to Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN. The shift, which became official Monday when News Corp.’s Fox Network failed to match ESPN’s $500 million bid for the media rights to college football’s Bowl Championship Series, signals the growing dominance of cable television in the competition for the most high-profile sports events.
Lipstick Jungle Isn’t Cancelled — At Least Not Yet
The reports of the demise of Lipstick Jungle look like they were premature. The NBC drama about well-heeled women friends in New York, starring Brooke Shields, was shuffled off to Friday nights two weeks ago amid reports that the show was cancelled, production was being shut down, and the remaining finished episodes would not get on air. But as of this week, the show is breathing again.
Legal Tangles of Project Runway Keep It Frozen on the Catwalk
Project Runway is stuck in a legal quagmire that threatens to keep the show off the air indefinitely. While producers of the show have already shot the design competitions that will make up most of the series’s sixth season, those new episodes are unlikely to see the light of day for several months, as a result of the continuing legal dispute between the Weinstein Company and NBC Universal.
Oh, no! I’ve got to have my Project Runway!
TV Land Trouble: Development-Dollar Flow is Slowing to a Trickle
Already tight-fisted from the migration of viewers and advertising dollars to other mediums, broadcast networks are now cutting development costs in the face of perhaps the most challenging economic environment the TV industry has ever experienced. That’s resulted in fewer pilots being bought and network executives taking fewer risks at a time when television can’t afford to remain stagnant.
Sci Fi’s “Sanctuary” a true Web-to-TV pioneer
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A milestone was reached last week in the crossover from Internet to TV when Sci Fi Channel gave an early second-season pickup to “Sanctuary,” making it the first TV show based on an online series to accomplish the feat.
Mark Cuban Is Charged With Insider Trading
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil suit charging the Internet entrepreneur with insider trading for selling shares of an Internet search company in 2004.
Yahoo’s Yang decides he’s no longer the right CEO
SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo Inc. founder Jerry Yang has never concealed how much he cares about his Internet company. His emotional attachment is one of the reasons he balked at a $47.5 billion takeover offer from Microsoft Corp. six months ago. The same devotion finally led Yang to conclude he should step aside as chief executive, as the company seeks to bolster its depressed stock price and sagging earnings in an economic downturn that might prove even more wrenching than the dot-com bust of eight years ago.
Time to Bust Up Yahoo (by Alan Mutter at Reflections of a Newsosaur)
This would be a great time for a smart investor to buy Yahoo and break it up. If Yahoo were sold off in pieces, it would mark the end of the first new media company that tried to act like an old one. And its fate would serve as a lesson to any old media company that still thinks a one-size-fits-all business model is sustainable in an age of limitless consumer choice.
Are Google Results Getting Less Diverse?
According to SEObook.com, “If you are not an AdWords advertiser, are not in universal search verticals (like news and video), and are not Wikipedia, then you don’t have many organic search results that you can rank for on the first page.” Mainstream news publishers probably will be happy about this. And some blogs may still get surprisingly high ranking because they’re more search-friendly than ordinary sites — and also because Google may be indexing your blog as part of its news search. But this news isn’t particularly comforting for people who value access to diverse voices. Also, the wider move towards mainstream results that keep you within Google doesn’t look particularly healthy.
17 Killer Mashups for Taking Control of Your Government (Mashable)
Government is increasingly putting much of its public records online, creating opportunities for developers to build useful applications for citizens. From being alerted to neighborhood crime to finding the best mass transit routes, these mashups are helping solve everyday problems. Recently, the Washington DC government launched the Apps for Democracy contest to encourage developers to build applications using its data. Today, the winners were announced, and below, we take a closer look at 17 of them.