AMID THE MURDOCH EMPIRE‘s many and multiplying hard knocks — now for instance, police charges on obstruction of justice against the former Chief Executive of all its British newspapers, their Head of “Security,” and others — it’s easy to overlook intriguing items in the empire’s actual editorial output.          Continue reading “Rupert’s Grip on Output Getting ‘Wobbly?’” »

TWO MEDIA TALKATHONS grabbed my attention this week — each very different, though their messages chimed together in an intriguing way.

One was veteran film, TV and theater director (oh, and of course one-time improv comedian) Mike Nichols showing up to talk at The New York Times. Not for an article in the paper … though many rewarding column-inches could well have resulted.      Continue reading “What Do Mike Nichols and TV Religion Have in Common?” »

WHAT A WEEK FOR MEDIA and power, and their incestuous interrelations.       Continue reading “Mike Wallace: Media Man Putting News in Perspective” »

THE FIRST AMENDMENT gets my awed support three times over. As a U.S. citizen … as a journalist … and as an immigrant from England.

It’s piquant for me that England’s enforced conformity of religious belief was what drove my 1620 predecessors to make their transatlantic escape. And that such religious oppression was so specifically outlawed 170 years later in the Bill of Rights, along with any attack on freedom of expression generally.      Continue reading “Military Atheists — Under-Reported Fight for Fairness” »

AMERICAN MEDIA have gone wild this week for an arcane set of arguments. I suppose we should be grateful; it certainly is unusual.

Taking their illustrative imagery from the many placards outside the US Supreme Court proclaiming “OBAMACARE IS UNAMERICAN!” and other such sweeping declarations (left), news outlets have purveyed countless articles and studio discussions that parse recondite questions about our Constitution’s relationship to commerce.     Continue reading “Not for Debate: Commerce Is Paramount” »