The NY Times Finally Finds a FOX Journalist It Can Respect -- Shepard

Monday's New York Times Business section contained a favorable Bill Carter profile of Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, "Fox News Anchor Draws Ratings, and Ire of Conservative Critics." This marks the only positive view of Fox News I've seen in the Times, if only because Smith is portrayed as a brave, lonely counterpoint to the network's conservative orthodoxy. Carter predictably portrayed Smith,…
Clay Waters
June 22nd, 2009 2:03 PM

ABC Continues Plugging Obama's Health Care Plan

On the June 22 “Good Morning America,” ABC gave a preview of what it’s “Questions for the President: Prescription for America Health Care” special on June 24 will be like: unbalanced interviews and softball questions for the administration. ABC has promised that the heavily promoted special will feature “tough questions.” But GMA’s interviews with members of Obama’s health care team weren’t what…
Sarah Knoploh
June 22nd, 2009 1:43 PM

People Mag Values P.C. Over Factual Correctness: Chastity Bono Is Now

Tim Graham
June 22nd, 2009 1:40 PM

Iranian Student to Obama and the World: 'Don't Leave Us Alone

Contrary to the claims of many liberals, at least some of Iran's anti-government protesters are anxious for Barack Obama to lend American support to their cause. An Iranian student interviewed on CNN’s American Morning on Monday pleaded for the world, and President Obama by name, to become more active in assisting the protests against the Islamic regime in Tehran: “International community....…
Matthew Balan
June 22nd, 2009 1:19 PM

Ed Schultz Touts His 'Town Hall Meetings', Fails to Disclose Hidden Co

Twenty dollars here, twenty dollars there. After coming from thousands of people, it starts adding up.Anyone who listens to Ed Schultz's radio show or has seen him on MSNBC has almost surely heard Schultz refer to "town hall meetings" he moderates across the country.Schultz began organizing the gatherings during the '08 campaign and revived the practice earlier this year, holding more than a half…
Jack Coleman
June 22nd, 2009 12:47 PM

ABC's Sawyer Swears Health Care Special 'Not an Infomercial'; Touts Ne

Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer popped up on Sunday's Reliable Sources and swore that ABC's much-scrutinized health care special with President Obama "won't be an infomercial." She also seriously touted the objectivity of the network, cheering, "I know that our network has worked very, very hard to be completely- completely responsible and fair and serious about big issues." [Audio available…
Scott Whitlock
June 22nd, 2009 11:15 AM

Sawyer Defends ABC Health Care Special: 'It is Not an Infomercial

It's a supposedly objective news outlet, yet ABC News is cozying up with the White House for a health care special to assist President Barack Obama in selling his plan. But according to ABC's "Good Morning America" co-host Diane Sawyer, there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, she's proud of ABC. Sawyer appeared on CNN's June 21 "Reliable Sources" by phone in an interview with host Howard Kurtz,…
Jeff Poor
June 22nd, 2009 11:09 AM

Juan Williams: Press Aren't Treating Obama Like a Politician

For the second time in less than 48 hours, NPR's Juan Williams accused the press of not doing their job in properly reporting the deeds and doings of America's new President Barack Obama.Having accused the news media of "kowtowing to the Obama administration" during Friday's "Special Report" on FNC, Williams went even further on Sunday's "Fox News Sunday" (h/t Jennifer Rubin):[W]hat really, you…
Noel Sheppard
June 22nd, 2009 9:54 AM

Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: state budgets in crisis! With state revenues in a free fall and the economy choked by the worst recession in 60 years, governors and legislatures are approving program cuts, layoffs and, to a smaller degree, tax increases that were previously unthinkable. All but four states must have new budgets in place less than two weeks from now — by…
NB Staff
June 22nd, 2009 9:15 AM

Early Show Displays Obamacized Neda Poster

Obama and Neda: same struggle!Who says Pres. Obama isn't backing the Iranian uprising strongly enough?  Why, supporters of the struggle have chosen to immortalize Neda, the young student reportedly slain by the current regime, by creating a poster of her in the style of the iconic Obama poster made famous during his presidential campaign.Might that have been CBS's subliminal message this morning…
Mark Finkelstein
June 22nd, 2009 8:09 AM

Obama Keeps Young Audience 'Spellbound...As Eloquent As Any Rapper

Tim Graham
June 22nd, 2009 7:18 AM

FTC To Go After Bloggers That Make False Claims

In today's "Truly Delicious Irony" segment, the Federal Trade Commission, just months after so-called journalists decided who should win a presidential primary and subsequent election, is going to begin going after bloggers who make false claims about products and/or don't fully disclose conflicts of interest.Imagine that.As reported by the Associated Press Sunday:
Noel Sheppard
June 22nd, 2009 1:06 AM

NBC: Homosexuals the Only Ones 'Willing to Fight' for the Obsolete Ins

Today has a woman in a failed marriage tell viewers why marriage is out-of-date.
Zoe Ortiz
June 22nd, 2009 12:00 AM

San Fran Chronicle Slobbers: Obama is 'Father of Our Country,' Earns

The reader might be warned that reading this San Francisco Chronicle Father's Day piece serves as a most perfect emetic. In fact, it's a wonder that writer Jennifer Weiss could type with all those stars in her eyes. Her Father's Day adulation of Obama is so over-the-top that Obama suddenly becomes the "father of our country," and is determined to have "super-dad status." The most offensive part…
Warner Todd Huston
June 21st, 2009 11:58 PM