Media Business

Today's Wall Street Journal online edition features an important essay by sociologist James Q. Wilson examining how the American press has turned into an unpatriotic and anti-war entity. He also explains why this matters: because educated people are likely to be swayed by the media's coverage of events, whether that coverage is accurate or not.A few excerpts:We are told by careful pollsters that…

Despite the fact that former Vice President Al Gore invented the information superhighway, Market Wire reported Wednesday that more Republicans use the Internet than Democrats (hat tip to Drudge): “Nielsen//NetRatings (NASDAQ: NTRT), a global leader in Internet media and market research, announced today that 36.6 percent of U.S. adults online are Republicans, 30.8 percent are Democrats and 17.3…

This is pretty funny, folks (hat tip to Michelle Malkin). Editor & Publisher reported Monday that just about every major metropolitan newspaper’s circulation was down during the six-month period ending September 2006. One of the notable exceptions is the New York Post, which not only saw its numbers increase, but is also now the number five paper in the country:The Los Angeles Times reported…

Drudge reported quite a shocker Thursday evening: “In an Ironic Twist of Events, NBC and The CW Television Network Refuse to Air Ads for Documentary Focusing on Freedom of Speech…NBC Claims that the Network ‘Cannot Accept These Spots as They are Disparaging to President Bush.’” Shocking. For those that are interested, the ad is available here. In it is the famous line from one of the Chicks, "We'…

Photographer Emilio Morenatti, 37, of the Associated Press, was taken captive in the Gaza Strip this morning. No word from the captors yet, but my prayers are with Emilio and his family for his safe return! According to the captions on the photo wires, Emilio was accosted as he was leaving his apartment for an Associated Press vehicle, and was forced into the captors' vehicle. I'll fill in…

This is a truly shocking revelation by the New York Times ombudsman Byrone Calame (hat tip to Michelle Malkin). In a column published Sunday, Calame – the Times' “public editor” – has reversed a previous position of his concerning the Times June 23 article about secret international banking surveillance designed to uncover the sources of terrorist funding. Now, Calame thinks it was a mistake for…

Air America is grasping for straws in some mighty odd places. A mass email from Air America host Thom Hartmann today touts the parallels between the plight of the bankrupt left-wing radio network and, of all things, Fox News Channel [FNC] and the Washington Times.Excerpts:"There are times when doing the profitable thing is also doing the right thing. That's certainly what Roger Ailes and Rupert…

This is too extraordinary for words – not the possibility of it happening, but that anybody in the drive-by media would even suggest it. After all, if there ever was proof that the press are colluding with Democrats, here it is.ABC News's "The Note" reported on October 19 that members of “The Old Media” are “giddy with excitement over the prospect of the Bush-Cheney-Rove-Mehlman machine losing…

In another apparent win for the Internet and New Media, NBC Universal announced on Thursday (hat tip to Drudge) a restructuring of some of its on-air programming (emphasis mine throughout):NBC Universal plans to cut US$750 million in operating expenses by the end of 2007 by eliminating employees, cutting back on scripted shows, and slashing its news budget, according to a report Thursday in the…

It appears the early fascination with Katie Couric as an evening anchor has fallen quicker than temperatures in the Northeast. Drudge is reporting the perky one's ratings for Monday, Oct. 16, 2006:NEW YORK CITYWABC 7.1WNBC 5.3 WCBS 3.7LOS ANGELESKABC 5.9KNBC 3.1KCBS 1.5WASHINGTON, DCNBC 9.3ABC 7.8CBS 2.5 Yikes. This certainly coincides with views expressed by Variety’s Brian Lowry on October 15 (…