Collected and Edited by Rick Kaempfer
Highlights and links to the big stories in the news this week about the media. This column appears twice a week at MEDIA NOTEBOOK
Experts predict horrible upcoming year for the media
(Wall Street Journal) There is no immunity for the media business. Shrinking ad budgets and a weakened economic outlook will take a dramatic toll on all sectors of the media business in 2008 and 2009 -- including the fast-growing digital sector, according to a series of revised ad forecasts released Tuesday.
Media giants hit new low as market plunges(Marketwatch) David Wilkerson writes: "Time Warner Inc. and other diversified media conglomerates hit fresh lows, as a broad global selloff was touched off by renewed fears over the spread of the credit crisis. With several potential deals now in limbo thanks to the credit dilemma, no signs of a short-term lift in advertising revenues, and uncertainty about consumer spending casting a pall over subscription-based media, entertainment stocks remained trapped in a downward spiral."
Press may own share of financial mess
(Washington Post) Howard Kurtz writes: "The stakes are enormous in a fast-moving crisis where the traditional concern about journalists causing a run on the bank is hardly a theoretical danger. But as news organizations chase exclusives about the Wall Street meltdown, they also are grappling with a troubling question: Why didn't they see this coming?"
CLICK HEREObama’s Personal Ties Are Subject of Program on Fox News Channel
(New York Times) Jim Rutenberg writes: "During a weekend of Republican attacks on Senator Barack Obama’s personal associations, Fox News Channel ran a program Sunday that made provocative assertions about similar connections, called “Obama & Friends: The History of Radicalism.” Sean Hannity, the conservative radio and television host, was the host of the hour-long program, which raised, among other things, unsubstantiated accusations that Mr. Obama’s work as a community organizer in Chicago was “training for a radical overthrow of the government.” The statement came from Andy Martin, a conservative writer and frequent political candidate who is credited as being among the first — if not the first — to assert in a chain e-mail message that Mr. Obama was secretly a Muslim."
(Sadly for Mr. Hannity, he hadn't looked into the previous statements of that "guest," a devout anti-Semite. That led to the confrontation below...)
What happens when Sean Hannity gets Hannity-ed?(Salon) Glen Greenwald has an excellent analysis about this Fox special (see above story), and what inspired Obama spokesperson Robert Gibbs to "Hannity" Sean Hannity. The two men engaged in a "Guilt-by-association-off" on Tuesday night regarding the guest who accused Obama of being a terrorist-sympathizer. It's not a pretty story, and Sean Hannity should be ashamed. Watch the video at the end of this piece and decide for yourself if he is ashamed or not.
CLICK HERE
SNL rides high on campaign satire
(Wall Street Journal) Rebecca Dana writes: "NBC's "Saturday Night Live" drew another crush of viewers this weekend, with approximately 10 million tuning in to watch comedian Tina Fey's latest sendup of GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. That rating, based on preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research, is 42% higher than the same show last year and 23% higher than last week's episode. Comedian Tina Fey's impersonation of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has helped drive SNL's high ratings this political year. Interest was fueled by last Thursday night's vice-presidential debate, which drew 69.9 million viewers to become the most-watched VP matchup ever."
SNL Ratings still going strong
(Hollywood Reporter) Paul J. Gough writes: "The politics-fueled ratings train of "Saturday Night Live" keeps rolling along -- and it seems to be getting stronger. SNL averaged a 7.4 household rating/18 share in the metered market overnights, Nielsen Media Research said Sunday afternoon. That's within a tenth of a rating point of its Sept. 13 premiere, which itself was the highest-rated show since Dec. 14, 2002, when Al Gore and Phish appeared. And, as expected, Saturday's show was heavy on the politics. It marked the third appearance this season by Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, along with surprise guest Queen Latifah sitting in as moderator Gwen Ifill and regular cast member Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden. The 11-minute opening number drew rave reviews not only in the ratings but also the blogosphere, where the clip -- and Fey-as-Palin saying the GOP ticket would be all "mavericky" -- gained wide traction overnight."
Gwen Ifill on the VP Debate
Media gives Palin a pass
(Realclearpolitics.com) Richard Cohen writes: "In effect, columnists, bloggers, talk-show hosts and digital lamplighters everywhere have adopted the ethic of the political consultant: what works, works. It did not matter what Palin said. It only mattered how she said it -- all those doggones, references to her working-class status (net worth in excess of $2 million), promiscuous use of the word "maverick," repeated mentions of "greed and corruption on Wall Street" (Who? Be specific. Give examples. Didn't anyone here go to school?) and, of course, that manic good cheer. Palin knows that the standard is not right or wrong, truth or lie, but the graph that ran under both debaters on CNN, measuring approval, disapproval or, maybe, the blood sugar levels of certain people in their focus group. Things have changed. Might used to make right. Now a wink does."
CLICK HERECampbell Brown's new voice
(NY Times) Jacques Steinberg writes: "After often laboring in relative obscurity since she began hosting “Election Center” in March, Ms. Brown said she was less concerned by any blowback than she was elated at finding a voice and identity for her program — and a means to be heard over the cacophony of prime-time cable news. While her program has benefited from heightened interest in the presidential race, the theme she has fashioned for “Election Center” — she calls her mission to hold politicians and others accountable “No bias, no bull” — seems to have found more resonance with viewers than previous CNN efforts at 8 p.m."
Don't call her a mini Bill O'Reilly, though. This is a mini Bill O Reilly...
http://view.break.com/581294 - Watch more free videos
TV's new Odd Couple: Rachel Maddow and Pat Buchanan
(Associated Press via Huffington Post) David Bauder writes: "If Olbermann's show has a drumbeat that drives it, Maddow's 'got a little bit of a symphony,' he said. She also doesn't back down from a fight. Olbermann's Countdown is well-written and meticulous, but he relies on guests who rarely disagree with him. Maddow frequently brings on guests to argue with her, none more so than Buchanan. He can exasperate her, and vice versa. To date, it hasn't become nasty. To a certain extent, Maddow credits Buchanan with giving her television career a push. A few years ago when Buchanan hosted a show at MSNBC, he remembered her and sought her out for work. 'I like debating things with Pat,' Maddow said. 'He's funny and quick and intellectually coherent, even when his views are totally toxic.'"
CLICK HERE
New book celebrates WLS
(Chicago Sun Times) Robert Feder writes: "Just the cover photo alone -- showing an incredibly young Bob Sirott and Larry Lujack -- is well worth the price of a new book about WLS-AM (890). Due out Oct. 20 by Arcadia Publishing, Chicago's WLS Radio is Scott Childers' long-awaited history of the 50,000-watt giant from its founding in 1923 by Sears-Roebuck (inspiring the call letters for "World's Largest Store") to its current identity as a Citadel Broadcasting news/talk station. While the book pays proper homage to Herb Morrison's Hindenburg broadcast ("Oh, the humanity!") and the "National Barn Dance" days of the old Prairie Farmer station, the real emotional draw is to the Top 40 heyday of WLS as "The Rock of Chicago." Childers is one of millions who grew up transfixed by "The Big 89." But in his case, he turned his interest into vocations as a Chicago radio personality and the unofficial historian of the station. His WLSHistory.com Web site led directly to his writing the book. Enhancing hundreds of rare and riveting photos are Childers' authoritative captions. It includes an introduction by Jeff Davis, the longtime WLS jock and voice of the station."
I previously interviewed Scott about this
Mini Interview: Len O'Kelly
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Every week I'm featuring excerpts from my SHORE Magazine article about 14 local radio voices. This week: WFGR Radio's Len O'Kelly.
Chicago Radio Spotlight interview: Jack Landreth(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with former WLS & WLUP producer and current program director Jack Landreth. We talked about his days producing for Don & Roma, Kevin Matthews and Paul Harvey, plus his current job which included a stint producing the Penn Jillette show. He's got some great stories. Coming this weekend: the host of Living Large on WIND, Geoff Pinkus.
