Journalism

Newspapers Are Dead; Long Live Newspapers

by Sheldon Rampton — October 22, 2008 - 9:11am

"Newspapers are in trouble for reasons that have almost nothing to do with newspaper journalism," writes Paul Farhi. "Even a paper stocked with the world's finest editorial minds wouldn't have a fighting chance against the economic and technological forces arrayed against the business." Farhi says newspapers "remain remarkably popular" but suffer from "the flight of classified advertisers, the deterioration of retail advertising and the indebtedness of newspaper owners." The Internet, he maintains, has expanded newspaper readership while sapping "newspapers' economic lifeblood.

Main Source: 
American Journalism Review, November/December 2008

Judith Miller Lands at Fox News

by Sheldon Rampton — October 20, 2008 - 10:57am

Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller, whose misleading stories about alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction helped make the Bush administration's case for war, has joined Fox News as a contributor, where she will provide "

Main Source: 
Editor and Publisher, October 20, 2008

Slow Learners

by Bob Burton — October 11, 2008 - 3:00am

Like many others, New York Times journalist Larry Rohter describes former Greenpeace activist-turned-industry consultant Patrick Moore as "the co-chairman of the Clean and Safe Energy C

Main Source: 
New York Times, October 9, 2008

Not Following the Pharma Money

by Sheldon Rampton — October 5, 2008 - 10:17pm

Medical research conflicts of interest are in the news lately, thanks to recent congressional hearings by Senator Charles Grassley. But are journalists part of the problem?

Main Source: 
Gooz News, October 1, 2008

Coal Burners Invest in Environmental Journalism

by Bob Burton — October 2, 2008 - 5:46am

The Society for Environmental Journalists (SEJ), which promotes "excellence in environmental journalism," is gearing up for its annual conference in Roanoke, Virginia in mid-October.

Main Source: 
Society for Environmental Journalists website, October 2008

Stealth Marketers Gone Wild: Will the FCC Act?

by Diane Farsetta — September 23, 2008 - 2:21pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Children, Fake TV News, Marketing, Public Relations, U.S. Government

    • One of my favorite critiques of our ad-saturated modern world is in "Infinite Jest," the epic novel by recently-departed author and essayist David Foster Wallace. In the novel's not-too-distant future, time itself has become a corporate marketing opportunity. There's the Year of the Trial-Size Dove Bar and the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment. That's not to mention the Year of the Yushityu 2007 Mimetic-Resolution-Cartridge-View-Motherboard-Easy-To-Install-Upgrade For Infernatron/InterLace TP Systems For Home, Office, Or Mobile, which is often abbreviated.

    The novel's system of Subsidized Time is hilarious ... and you can almost imagine it really happening. At least corporate-sponsored years wouldn't present the disclosure problems of today's stealth ads -- marketing messages that masquerade as entertainment or news content.

    The Center for Media and Democracy believes that all advertising should be as clearly announced as the Year of the Trial-Size Dove Bar. That's why we just filed a comment with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is debating how its sponsorship identification rules apply to product placement, product integration and other types of "embedded advertising" relayed over television or radio stations.

    In 2003, Commercial Alert urged the FCC to address product placement disclosure. "Advertisers can puff and tout, and use all the many tricks of their trade," the watchdog group wrote (pdf). "But they must not pretend that their ads are something else."

    Especially, we would add, when that "something else" is news programming.

    Just the Picture, No Words

    by Sheldon Rampton — September 23, 2008 - 1:19pm

    Efforts by the McCain/Palin campaign to keep reporters away from Sarah Palin have prompted journalists to threaten a boycott of Palin's photo shoots at the United Nations.

    Main Source: 
    Politico.com, September 23, 2008

    An Unhealthy Impact on Local Reporting

    by Diane Farsetta — September 15, 2008 - 10:46am

    "A hospital complains about a reporter and pulls ads from the paper. The paper reassigns him. The paper -- offered three chances -- declines to deny that one caused the other," summarizes the Columbia Journalism Review. CJR was following up on a Wall Street Journal article about Carilion Health System, which is Roanoke, Virginia's sole healthcare provider.

    Main Source: 
    Columbia Journalism Review, September 9, 2008

    Associated Press Responds to Bias Charges

    by Diane Farsetta — September 2, 2008 - 1:28pm

    MoveOn, Media Matters and liberal blogs have launched a campaign against Associated Press Washington bureau chief Ron Fournier, "for what they consider light treatment of John McCain at the expense of o

    Main Source: 
    Politico.com, September 1, 2008

    China's Gold Medal Spin

    by Bob Burton — August 19, 2008 - 5:36am

    In a scathing review of the Chinese government's handling of the Olympics, Jacquelin Magnay writes "there has been the fake singer, the fake fireworks, the fake minority kids (they were all Han, and not from the 55 different ethnic groups as portrayed), the fake press freedoms, fake internet access, fake promises. ...

    Main Source: 
    The Age (Australia), August 16, 2008
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