Sizing Up NATO
On the Media checks in with our regular correspondent, Martin Walker, to talk about the recently completed NATO conference and to discuss how the world press covered it.
Miss World Turns Ugly
Earlier this month, when the decision to hold the Miss World Pageant in Nigeria was made public, some conservative Muslims cried foul. When a Christian journalist wrote that the Prophet probably wouldn't mind the pageant, full-blown communal rioting and calls for the journalist's death ensued. Bob speaks with Professor Graham Furniss of the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.
French Sex Wars
France, in the minds of many, might seem to be the epitome of sexual freedom. But for the last six months, right-wing legislators there have been campaigning to eliminate erotic movies from French television. Earlier this month, the commission proposed to eliminate certain violent or sexual shows from primetime, and to require a new layer of digital codes aimed at blocking children's access. Frank Browning reports on how the new French porn wars touch much deeper fissures in French politics.
Sex and Technology
In many ways, pornography plays a pivotal role in the development of communications technology. Brooke ties it all together, giving us a look at pornography as an engine of technological progress..
(Re-) Introducing Playboy
Now we've had a look back at sex and technology. Moving forward….the first Playboy issue sold 50-thousand copies and was produced in 27-year-old Hugh Hefner's kitchen. From those humble roots, and now 50 years later, a Playboy empire has established itself in America's consciousness.
Gay Talese
How has Playboy effected change in the on-going discourse about free expression and speech? In 1972, author Gay Talese wrote about Playboy's impact on American society in his book "Thy Neighbor's Wife." Bob speaks with author Gay Talese about his thoughts on how the magazine distinguished itself over the years.
The Bunny's Silver Jubilee
In 2003, Playboy magazine will celebrate its 50th anniversary. From its initial publication in Hugh Hefner's Chicago kitchen, to its current status as the world's premiere men's magazine, the magazine has become a permanent part of our cultural landscape. Brooke speaks with creator Hugh Hefner about feminism, the sexual revolution, and how Playboy factors into it all, fifty years later.
Naked News
A 1999 Internet news site became such a popular phenomenon, that it's now an on-demand cable program. The competitive advantage of this news outlet: newscasts in the nude. Naked News and NakedNews.com boast their newscasters completely in the buff. Bob speaks with Naked News anchor Victoria Sinclair.
Highlights from Past Shows
Homeland Security?
November 22, 2002
This week both houses of Congress passed the Homeland Security Act, which will result in the biggest overhaul of the federal bureaucracy in 50 years. The Act will have broad ramifications—from the relationship of the federal government with its citizens, to suppressing previously public information. Bob speaks with Mark Tapscott, of the Center for Media and Public Policy at the Heritage Foundation, about his concerns surrounding the new circumstances of Homeland Security.
Word Watch: Refugees
September 09, 2005
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the National Association of Black Journalists called on media outlets to refer to people fleeing New Orleans as "evacuees," rather than "refugees." Many complied, but others, after consulting their dictionaries and style guides, decided the new term lacked the scope befitting a national catastrophe. Bob examines the debate and discovers that even in the midst of a crisis, language can be critical.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
