NBC's Williams Cues Bill Clinton to Blast Bush Admin: 'How Much Is The
Brian Williams turned over just under five minutes of Wednesday's NBC Nightly News to a live interview with former President Bill Clinton about his effort to address global warming, a fawning session which amounted to little more than pontificating from Clinton cued up by Williams, who set the tone by asking: “What does the current administration have to answer for? How much of it, in your view…
'Combat Casualties' of Iraq War, 'Civilian Casualties' and Now Blair a
The broadcast network evening newscasts, reflecting the focus of the media's approach to British Prime Minister Tony Blair's announcement that he will step down on June 27, framed their reviews of his ten-year tenure around the unpopularity of his decision to join the U.S. in the Iraq war. On CBS, however, Elizabeth Palmer uniquely found time to recall how Blair won in 1997 by “dragging Britain'…
Obama Says ’10,000 People Died’ in Kansas Tornado, Media Couldn
Imagine for a moment that one of the leading Republican presidential candidates said that 10,000 people had been killed by the recent tornado that destroyed Greensburg, Kansas, Saturday. Do you think this would have been easy fodder for the broadcast television news divisions that always seem fascinated with gaffes made by folks on the right?If your answer is an unequivocal “Yes,” then why did…
Katie’s Collapse: ‘CBS Evening News’ Viewership Lowest in 20 Yea
The Katie Couric as “CBS Evening News” anchor experiment appears to be failing, and failing miserably.As TV Week reported Tuesday (h/t TVNewser): “The news is not good for third-place ‘CBS Evening News With Katie Couric,’ which in the week of April 30 hit its lowest total viewership since at least 1987.”According to TVNewser’s Brian Stelter, the “at least 1987” qualifier refers to Nielsen…
Brokaw Raises How Tenet 'Frustrated' That Reno Ruled 'Illegal' a CIA P
On Monday's NBC Nightly News, Tom Brokaw gave a sentence to a criticism of the Clinton administration, by former CIA Director George Tenet, not mentioned in broadcast network evening newscast stories last week, or Monday night on ABC and CBS, nor on Sunday's two-part 60 Minutes interview -- all of which focused on Tenet's attacks on Bush officials. Brokaw relayed: “He said that he was frustrated…
Should NBC Have Aired Virginia Tech Killer’s Videotape
When is something clearly newsworthy clearly not newsworthy?Interesting question, wouldn’t you agree?Like millions of Americans, I watched the Virginia Tech killer’s videotape yesterday with shock and horror. (Please be advised: I refuse to use his real name, or publish pictures of him, for reasons that should be obvious, and wish all members of the media would adopt the same anonymity strategy…
