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Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) called Thursday’s revelation of DOJ-approved interrogation techniques “shocking.” But was it really? Not so for the nightly newscasts, which mostly had other priorities.
How often can America lose its innocence? Again and again, as we feign shock over events that shouldn’t, if history is a guide, be all that surprising. Johns Hopkins professor Richard Halpern parses the “innocence industry” through the paintings of one of its major manufacturers, Norman Rockwell.
The presidential campaign took another step forward this week as candidates announced their success at out-fundraising each other. But how helpful are these early reports in gauging presidential potential? Political analyst Mark Halperin explains why, in campaign coverage, the horserace is never far away.
Last weekend in Ukraine, Vicktor Yanukovich's party won the most votes in parliamentary elections, which may be hard to imagine for those who remember him as a villain during the Orange Revolution of 2004. Clifford Levy of the New York Times says Yanukovich got a new image with the help of American political consultant Paul Manafort.
When CBS fired Dan Rather over Memogate two years ago, the longtime newsman wasn’t the only one who lost a paycheck. So too did Neal Fox, the composer who co-wrote the theme music for Evening News. Fox’s one-man revue, Thank You, Dan Rather, opened last week in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Alicia Zuckerman tells the story.
With the opening of the Supreme Court's new term this week, Jeffrey Toobin's recently published book might help shed light on the inner workings of the notoriously tight-lipped nine. Toobin says that while gaining access and writing about the Court isn’t easy, it is necessary.
When Radiohead releases its new album on October 10th, it’ll likely feature the dyspeptic lyrics, man vs. machine music and alien encounters for which the band is beloved. It’ll also cost whatever you want it to. Economist Tyler Cowen uses the dismal science to gauge the impact of Radiohead’s new model.
All advertising is created to get your attention, to speak to you. But one ad in particular, a billboard living for the moment in Las Vegas, can actually carry on a conversation. Bob talks back.
Highlights from Past Shows
On September 6th Israel launched secret air strikes against Syria. Or did they? Over three weeks later none of the governments reportedly involved, Israel, the U.S. or Syria, have officially confirmed the action, much less the details. Keith Richburg, foreign editor of The Washington Post, explains how hard it is to report on a secret.
This week's arrest of the Khmer Rouge's second-in-command seems like an opportunity for Cambodians to reconcile with the past. But, as Megan Williams reports, a skeptical generation has come of age - too young to remember and unwilling to believe - the horrors of the Communist regime.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
