Media

Despite Prominence of Coverage, Pakistan Doesn't Merit News Bureaus

by Judith Siers-Poisson — January 2, 2008 - 2:53pm

When former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, the only American TV networks to have full-time employees in Pakistan to call on were ABC and CNN. Other networks were forced to rely on stringers, freelance reporters on retainer with news agencies, until they could get their own reporters to Pakistan.

Main Source: 
New York Times, December 31, 2007

The P.U.-litzer Prizes

by Sheldon Rampton — December 31, 2007 - 2:14pm

Norman Solomon and Jeff Cohen have announced their latest "P.U.-litzer Prizes" for "stinkiest media performances of the year." Winners of the uncoveted award include:

  • Michael Gordon of the New York Times, who previously used unnamed official sources to promote the invasion of Iraq with wildly inaccurate reports of Iraqi weapons programs, and used similar unnamed sources in 2007 to make a case for war with Iran.
  • Chr

Main Source: 
Alternet, December 26, 2007

USA Today: Pushing John Edwards Out of the Race?

by Anne Landman — December 27, 2007 - 9:59pm

A USA Today article analyzing the electability of presidential candidates running in Iowa barely mentioned John Edwards, even though Edwards is the only Democrat besides Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama who consistently polls in the double digits in Iowa, according to

Main Source: 
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting Action Alert, December 21, 2007

2007 Most Deadly Year for Journalists in Over a Decade

by Judith Siers-Poisson — December 19, 2007 - 5:18pm

The Committee to Protect Journalists has released a report stating that 64 journalists died as a direct result of their profession in 2007. That marks the highest mortality rate since 1993. Nearly half of those deaths occurred in Iraq, with Somalia following in second place.

Main Source: 
<i>New York Times</i>, December 18, 2007

FCC: Big Media Should Get Bigger

by Diane Farsetta — December 19, 2007 - 1:55pm

On a three to two party line vote, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to overturn "a 32-year-old ban," allowing "broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper." FCC Chair Kevin Martin, who proposed the change, called it "a relatively minor loosening" of media ownership rules.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, December 18, 2007

Playing Public Relations Games

by Diane Farsetta — December 13, 2007 - 3:22pm

"Sixty percent of US consumers polled agree that the government should regulate the sale of violent or mature video games," states a press release from the PR firm Hill & Knowlton (H&K).

Main Source: 
Washington Post, December 11, 2007

Unions to Lehane: You Down with AMPTP?

by Diane Farsetta — December 12, 2007 - 5:17pm

Concerned that public opinion is firmly on the side of striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) members, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) hired a bipartisan stable of new PR consultants.

Main Source: 
Los Angeles Times, December 6, 2007

Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before

by Diane Farsetta — December 7, 2007 - 5:41pm

"It's an oddly familiar pattern of deception," writes Dan Froomkin.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, December 5, 2007
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