On The Media - Newspapers

Weathering the Storm (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:32 GMT

Katharine Weymouth took the post of publisher for The Washington Post during a difficult time. Layoffs, a shrinking news hole and drops in circulation have created a grim climate for The Post and newspapers in general. Weymouth explains why she still has hope for her paper and the industry.

Tough Love (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:33 GMT

It's no great mystery that newspapers are struggling with a near-apocalyptic business forecast. Most readers are settling for smaller papers, fewer reporters and less coverage. But Keith Hemstead is a newspaper reader who won't settle for less, and he's suing his paper to try and save it.

New Times at The Washington Times? (On The Media)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:26 GMT

The new editor of The Washington Times John Solomon talks about his plans for the future of the paper, which he sees as an important part of the capital's media landscape. But writer John Gorenfeld, author of Bad Moon Rising, argues that the Times can't escape its origins in Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church.

Hard Times (On The Media)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:28 GMT

Perhaps no major U.S. paper has been under siege longer than the Los Angeles Times, and this week brought yet another insult. New York Times media reporter Richard Pérez-Peña has been covering this historic retrenchment.

Left Out (On The Media)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:29 GMT

When The Record of Bergen County, New Jersey asked readers what they thought of the paper, many said they thought it was too liberal. So editor Frank Scandale has embarked on a six month self-examination to find if they’re right.

Vanishing Reviews (On The Media)

Fri, 23 May 2008 05:00 GMT

Book review sections around the country are facing fewer pages, shorter reviews and pressure to include best sellers. But does anyone care? Steve Wasserman, former editor of the Los Angeles Times book section, does. He says book reviews are struggling for survival.

Under Murdoch's Watch (On The Media)

Mon, 05 May 2008 18:21 GMT

Rupert Murdoch has had several months to exert influence over his new property, The Wall Street Journal. Many see the modifications to the paper and his grab for Newsday as a direct attack on The New York Times but Slate's Jack Shafer says the speculation is overblown.

Oh No They Didn't! (On The Media)

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:26 GMT

Eight of Ohio's top newspapers are sharing content in a cooperative effort called the Ohio News Organization, or OHNO. The arrangement will allow the papers to sidestep the AP. Could this system be a lifeline for struggling news organizations? Is it the end of the scoop as we know it? Cleveland Plain Dealer Editor Susan Goldberg explains the papers' decision to collaborate.

Breaking the Wiretap (On The Media)

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:37 GMT

It's been over two years since New York Times reporter Eric Lichtblau broke the NSA warrantless wiretapping story with James Risen. In his new book, Lichtblau explains the Woodward and Bernstein-like tale of exposing the program that's still surrounded in controversy and mystery.

Extra! Extra! We Still Want News (On The Media)

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:27 GMT

The Project for Excellence in Journalism released its annual State of the News Media report and the state of the news is strong. There is an audience! Of course, the business model could use some work.

The No Talk Express (On The Media)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:57 GMT

John McCain's contentious history with his hometown paper, The Arizona Republic, has included bitter exchanges and periods when McCain refused to talk with the paper at all. Politico’s media reporter Michael Calderone talks about the evolution of the relationship.

Crisis of Confidence (On The Media)

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:03 GMT

This week's New York Times story on John McCain hinted at a political and sexual scandal. Brooke explains how the article's use of anonymous sources and innuendo made the The New York Times, and not just McCain, the focal point of the media's scrutiny.

The Price of Stability (On The Media)

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:58 GMT

During OTM’s trip to Russia last summer, it was quickly apparent that when you’re an American media-analysis show looking to talk about free-speech, not many media heavyweights in Moscow will speak with you. One who will is Vladimir Mamontov, editor-in-chief of one of Russia’s most important newspapers – Izvestia. He defends the Kremlin's view of the relationship between a free press and political stability.

Vanishing Reviews (On The Media)

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:59 GMT

The Fire Next Time (On The Media)

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:54 GMT

The news this week was filled with images of devastating fires ripping through Southern California. But Mike Davis, author of Ecology of Fear, explains that fires, floods and other natural disasters, while newsworthy, are anything but new in SoCal.

Moveable Type (On The Media)

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:26 GMT

The clanging noises of manual typewriters, teletype machines and rotary phones are long gone from the modern newsroom. But those sounds still exist in the New York Times' new building as part of a giant art installation called Moveable Type. Brooke talks with the artists and a big fan of the piece.

Black and White and Red All Over (On The Media)

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:39 GMT

This week marked the 25th anniversary of the launch of USA Today. Richard Curtis was there in the beginning, and he’s still there today. As graphics editor, he knows well the four-color look that helped the national paper make its mark.

Ferry Tale (On The Media)

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:44 GMT

When the FBI wanted to track down two suspicious Seattle ferry riders recently, it first tried good old-fashioned investigating. But when the trail ran cold it released a photo to the local newspapers. Editor Suki Dardarian explains why the Seattle Times decided to print the image and join the manhunt.

Done Deal (On The Media)

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:11 GMT

Rupert Murdoch added the Wall Street Journal to his media empire this week. While many scramble to determine if this is good or bad news for journalism, Mark Jurkowitz, Associate Director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, explains that Murdoch has a surprisingly varied track record in the U.S. newspaper industry.

It's All Relative (On The Media)

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:58 GMT

Only one thing stands in the way of Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of Dow Jones and its Wall Street Journal: The Bancrofts. The family is a tangle of second cousins, complicated trusts, and divergent political views. WSJ reporter Sarah Ellison says their decision could come as early as next week.

Looking Good On Paper (On The Media)

Mon, 07 May 2007 17:24 GMT

Rupert Murdoch has made a serious bid for the Dow Jones Company. For years, the parent company of The Wall Street Journal has dismissed suitors, but analysts believe it may finally entertain offers. New Republic editor Franklin Foer explains what's at stake.

Punctuation Infatuation (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:39 GMT

All the blame and none of the glory – that’s the life of a newspaper copy editor. So why become one? Let New York Times chief copy editor Merrill Perlman count the reasons.

Gone to Zell (On The Media)

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:38 GMT

Billionaire Sam Zell is taking over at the Tribune Company, parent of the L.A. Times. But who should own newspapers? Companies? Families? Very rich guys? L.A. Times media critic Tim Rutten says that behind every great newspaper is a great family.

Drawing the Line (On The Media)

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:44 GMT

The pen of the editorial cartoonist is often the sharpest in the newsroom. But if a pictorial barb gores the wrong ox, it is likely to be spiked. David Wallis has collected some of the best of what was deemed not fit to print in his new book, Killed Cartoons.

Off the Beaten Path (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:15 GMT

Newsrooms depend on beat reporting – assigning reporters to specific subject areas. And beat reporting depends on sources – sources some reporters won’t want to cross. Journalism professor Edward Wasserman argues the system is inherently corrupt.

News Hole (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:16 GMT

For several years now, there’s been nothing but bad news for the newspaper business. But Marketplace correspondent Dan Grech reports that 2006 was the year that journalists finally saw the writing on the wall.

Space-Time Continuum (On The Media)

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:20 GMT

Judging from our mail, the public’s biggest frustration with news media is about what is and what isn't covered. But complaints are anecdotal, unless you count column inches and airtime minutes. Enter the News Coverage Index. Mark Jurkowitz of the Project for Excellence in Journalism explains.

Best Of Times, Worst of Times (On The Media)

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:39 GMT

These are dark days for the newspaper industry. Almost every week brings news of worse profits and more job cuts. But a handful of family-owned papers, including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, have managed to insulate themselves from Wall Street’s pressure. Brooke speaks with New Yorker staff writer Ken Auletta about the battle between the market and the press.

Tale of Two Heralds (On The Media)

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:59 GMT

When publisher Jesus Diaz resigned this week after just 14 months at the helm of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, some suggested the company was caving to pressure from Miami’s anti-Castro Cubans. Others say he wasn’t temperamentally suited to the job. But it’s also possible that Diaz simply couldn’t reconcile the gulf between the journalistic cultures of the two papers he oversaw. Marketplace correspondent Dan Grech reports from Miami.

The War In Iraq = Iraq Civil War? (On The Media)

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:12 GMT

Apart from opinion columns and magazine pieces, news outlets tend to place any mention of civil war in the mouths of sources, or qualify it with phrases like “on the brink of” and “risks descending into.” Brooke asks New York Times Deputy Foreign Editor Ethan Bronner why.

Over and Out (On The Media)

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:28 GMT

Chicago Tribune reporter Paul Salopek has had a distinguished, often dangerous, career as a far-flung correspondent. Working on a freelance assignment for National Geographic last month, Salopek was apprehended for espionage in Sudan, a charge that could carry 20 years. Bob speaks with Salopek about his arrest and release, 34 days later, and why he'll be going back.

Follow that Reporter (On The Media)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:39 GMT

Capitalizing on the popularity of reality television, cable TV’s Bravo has launched “Tabloid Wars,” a program that goes inside the New York Daily News and follows reporters out on the street. The series is likely to find – or make – heroes of several of the ink-stained wretches who chronicle city life. Brooke heads to the Daily News newsroom to find out how the hometown paper coped with cameras.

Public Defender (On The Media)

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 19:12 GMT

Eight senior staff members of the Santa Barbara News-Press have now resigned after that paper’s private owner, Wendy McCaw, broke down the wall that traditionally separates the executive suite from the newsroom. Fortune Magazine editor-at-large Justin Fox tells Bob that the whole affair is a reminder that the publicly-held model is, more often than not, simply better for journalism.

Bank Shots (On The Media)

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 20:34 GMT

The press took a tongue-lashing from politicos this week for reporting how the government tracked terrorists through the global banking industry. Bob talks with Heather Mac Donald, of the Manhattan Institute, who believes the New York Times in particular is a national security threat. Not so, says Scott Armstrong of Information Trust. This program, he tells Bob, was public all along.

Color Printing (On The Media)

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 21:19 GMT

It’s hardly controversial to say newspapers should reflect their communities. But not everybody agrees on the best way to broaden the range of news-sources. Some reporters at the Detroit Free Press, for example, were surprised when editors asked them to compile a list of minority sources. They feared the “rainbow rolodex” could ultimately privilege ethnicity over expertise. Free Press editor Paul Anger tells Bob why they have nothing to worry about.

Alt-Upheaval (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:16 GMT

Once on the fringes, the alternative weekly has become an institution. Between its pages are investigative reports; close coverage of the cultural avant-garde; and sharp commentary. The granddaddy of alt-weeklies is The Village Voice, which for 50 years has proffered its downtown view to New Yorkers and the world. Last November, The Voice was acquired by the New Times chain of alt-weeklies. Bob reports on the ensuing turmoil that raises questions about the future of the form.

Apres le Deluge, Media (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:33 GMT

With a new mayoral candidate poised to unseat New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, there’s been much talk about the extent to which Hurricane Katrina changed the complexion of the city. But the floods also wrought deep changes to the decades-old contours of the local newspaper and broadcasting scenes. Last week, Brooke and OTM producer Jamie York visited New Orleans, and brought back this report about a vastly transformed media landscape.

Jungle Love (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:45 GMT

February, 1957: Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro is assumed by his government and many news outlets to be dead. In fact, Castro is hiding in the jungle and eager to meet with an American journalist. A cable is sent to New York Times editorial writer Herbert L. Matthews, urging him to come to Cuba. But was Matthews, who had a tendency to over-sympathize with his story subjects, the best man for the job? Brooke speaks with Times reporter Anthony DePalma, author of “The Man Who Invented Fidel.”

A Winning Style (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:47 GMT

This week, the 2006 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced. Almost immediately, some slammed the awards as showing an anti-Bush bias. Escaping the controversy was Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan, winner of the prize for criticism. But a closer look at her writing shows that in Washington, even getting dressed in the morning can be a political act. Brooke chats with Givhan about what’s under our leaders’ clothes.

Ask a Mexican (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:09 GMT

To many Latinos, the immigration policy debate is plagued by all sorts of misunderstandings about immigrants themselves. But a columnist for the OC Weekly in Orange County, California is doing what he can to change that. Gustavo Arellano started inviting readers to “Ask a Mexican” as a joke, but has continued to provide real information to combat stereotypes. Bob Asks-a-Mexican about the power of a column.

Knight Moves (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:26 GMT

Knight Ridder, publisher of 32 papers across the country, was bought this week by the McClatchy Company – an outfit roughly half its size. McClatchy plans to keep only 20 of its newly-purchased properties and put the rest up for sale. Buzz Merritt was a Knight-Ridder employee for more then 40 years and is the author of Knightfall. Merritt joins Bob to explain why the newspaper industry might not go gently into that good night.

A New Day (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:27 GMT

The Newspaper Guild represents the interests of some 34,000 journalists and they’re preparing to bid on the 12 newspapers that McClatchy is selling. If their offer is successful the purchase will create an unprecedented chain in which employees own the majority of the stock and thus the papers themselves. Linda Foley, president of the Newspaper Guild, discusses the deal with Bob.

A Free and Fettered Press (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:22 GMT

If China can limit the reach of American media companies, it can completely quash its own recalcitrant party-run publications. In late January, the Propaganda Department shut down Freezing Point, a popular weekly insert to the China Youth Daily. Although the supplement was known for taboo reporting on farmer protests and other social unrest, New York Times Beijing Bureau Chief Joseph Kahn tells Bob that it wasn't one of those stories that put the freeze on Freezing Point.

Speech Impediment (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:31 GMT

It was only a handful of newspaper cartoons, but it was apparently enough to trigger angry protests - some of them violent - throughout the Middle East and Asia. This week, Bob gets several perspectives on the uproar over the Danish Mohammed caricatures. First, he talks to an American newspaper editor who quit after his bosses refused to reprint the images. Then, he speaks with a law scholar who's worried by the post WW-II European legal tradition of restricting hate speech and "incitement." And finally, he hears from a Middle East historian, who thinks that framing the controversy as a free speech conflict misses the real story.

Drawing Ire (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:36 GMT

Rarely does a debate over free speech include as many people, in as many different countries, as has the Danish "cartoon controversy." In the months after a series of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed were published in Denmark, Muslims in Europe and the Middle East have responded with boycotts and angry demonstrations. This week the tension escalated, after several European newspapers reprinted the images. Bob discusses the flap with Susan Caskie of The Week.

Pricing the Word (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:51 GMT

Newspapers around the world reprinted sections of Pope Benedict's first encyclical this week. No problem. But if you'd like to use a portion of the Pope's writing in a book you're working on - get ready to pay up. The Vatican publishing house will henceforth enforce copyright fees on the reprinting of its texts. Bob discusses the implications with John Allen, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.

Watching & Waiting (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:41 GMT

In this new era of media transparency, many expected a fuller explanation from The New York Times about why it held its NSA spying scoop for more than a year. What we do know, however, is that editors routinely accede to government demands that they withhold certain information. Scott Armstrong helps facilitate dialogues between intelligence agencies and the media, and talks to Bob about the process.

Call & Response (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:42 GMT

While excoriating the Times for disclosing the NSA’s surveillance program, President Bush trotted out an old chestnut about the danger of leaks. He cited a 1998 newspaper story that disclosed Osama Bin Laden’s use of a satellite phone, and claimed –as many have before – that the disclosure led Bin Laden to stop using his phone. Brooke wonders if we can really blame the media for the failure to capture Bin Laden.

Pay to Say (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:43 GMT

The money trail of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff last week led reporters to a couple of prominent Washington opinion makers. It turns out that for years, Abramoff has been paying two think-tankers, Doug Bandow and Peter Ferrara, to write op-ed pieces favorable to Abramoff’s clients. Bob talks to blogger Joshua Marshall about opinions for sale.

Echo’s Echo (On The Media)

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:43 GMT

Since 1928, the New York-based newspaper Irish Echo has chronicled the lives of Irish immigrants and their descendants. But as the economy of the “Celtic Tiger” booms, some Irish-Americans are returning to the motherland. And so for the first time in its history, the Irish Echo is now being printed and distributed in the Emerald Isle. Brooke talks to the editor Sean MacCarthaigh about his paper’s homecoming.