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On New Year’s Day, the New York Times reported that Democrats felt outflanked by media pundits on the right. There’s no shortage of conservative firebreathers on radio and TV, but where are their liberal counterparts? Why no Rush Limbaugh of the left? Bob speaks with Alan Colmes, the designated liberal on Fox News Channel’s nightly show Hannity & Colmes, also humorist Al Franken, who thinks the trick is not to be bombastic, but to be credible.
When reporters need an authoritative perspective, they turn to the “experts.” Do these “opinions for hire” always believe what they are saying? Not necessarily. But they’ll say it, if the price is right. That’s according to consultant Steven Moss, who tells Brooke about the years when he was paid handsomely for his opinions on trains.
Even in a totalitarian regime that seeks to control people’s minds, people are not immune to books. Iranian literary critic and educator Azar Nafisi wrote about teaching and reading the Western canon in her new memoir, “Reading Lolita in Tehran.”
Fifty years ago, post-war America witnessed the birth of pop-luxe and theretofore unsurpassed commercial culture. One example of the boom in disposable income and entertainment-related spending came in the form of the 1952 film “This is Cinerama”—a movie which would introduce viewers to what was then the largest movie screen ever. On the Media’s Sara Fishko takes a look at Cinerama.
While the Harry Potter tour may not be so accessible for young fans in the States, studios have found other ways to satisfy American fans who want more than the celluloid experience. OTM special correspondent Frank Brindle reports.
How do you get to Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe, the launch pad of dozens of country music's biggest stars? If you're Bob Garfield – and you’re trying to make it big in country music in less than 36 hours – "practice, practice" is not an option. Luckily, Bob has chutzpah and a brilliant song just waiting for a record exec to bite. Join Bob as he tries to write the next country music sensation.
Highlights from Past ShowsIt's been a week of troubling news out of the Middle East. 23 people were killed in a bomb blast at the UN Headquarters in Baghdad, and violence escalated again between the Palestinians and Israelis. World Press Review Contributing Editor Peter Valenti gives Bob a view of the events from the Arab press.
There are some stories that journalists can't seem to report without bringing down an avalanche of criticism. Certainly, coverage of gun control and abortion inspires heated debate, but nothing like the rage that invariably follows stories about Israel. From Jerusalem, reporter Rick Davis investigates the challenges faced by reporters in the disputed territories.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
