American Coronation
Thursday's coronation of President Bush as a second term president gave American viewers a taste of life in a monarchy. Bob reviews the inauguration coverage on the cable and broadcast networks.
Media Misbehavin'
The inauguration provided the media with a peg for evaluating the last four years of presidential rule, and for speculating on the four to come. We at OTM seized the opportunity to evaluate the media's performance over the course of Bush's first term. Brooke reflects on the highlights, and far more numerous lowlights, from voter disenfranchisement in 2000 to the lead up to war in Iraq and Campaign '04. BREAK I: ARTIST: Emerson String Quartet TRACK: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17 ALBUM: Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets LABEL: Deutsche Grammophon X: ARTIST: Beck TRACK: Debra ALBUM: Midnite Vultures LABEL: Interscope
How Sweet the Beat
Among the lesser noticed Bush Administration personnel changes is the promotion of Nicolle Devenish to White House Communications Director. She is not unknown, having run communications for Bush's re-election campaign and for Governor Jeb Bush. But it remains to be seen whether she will make life any easier for reporters, as some early reports suggest. Washingtonian national editor Harry Jaffe and Brooke speculate about White House coverage going forward. ARTIST: Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian TRACK: Last Call ALBUM: In the Year of the Dragon LABEL: JMT Productions
Novak Rules
Conservative columnist and pundit Robert Novak has built a mini-media empire by tapping highly placed sources for insider news about Washington politics. The "Prince of Darkness," has also earned his share of infamy, most recently after outing undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame. The search for the source of that information resulted in jail terms for two prominent journalists, but not for Novak. Bob talks to Washington Monthly editor Amy Sullivan, author of a recent profile of Novak. X ARTIST: Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian TRACK: In the Year of the Dragon ALBUM: In the Year of the Dragon LABEL: JMT Productions
Back to the Future
Media analysts have often remarked on the Balkanization of the American mediascape, wherein an increasing number of voices are talking to a decreasing number of people. That's a new development, but also a very old one, according to National Journal columnist William Powers. He and Brooke discuss his prediction that newfangled niche marketing will pick up where the biased newspapers of the 19th century left off. X ARTIST: Keith Jarrett TRACK: Wind Up ALBUM: Belonging LABEL: ECM BREAK II: ARTIST: Emerson String Quartet TRACK: String Quartet No. 4 ALBUM: Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets LABEL: Deutsche Grammophon
Rock of Aged
Rock & roll was once the music of rebellion and the currency of youth. Eventually, that youth grew up and became music critics. Today's critics of yesterday's bands might be accused of being driven more by sentimentality then by quality. But as WNYC's Brian Wise reports, concerns about nostalgia may be the least of the problems for aging rock critics, some of whom are losing their jobs for losing touch with what the kids want. ARTIST: Powderfinger TRACK: The Day You Come ALBUM: Internationalist LABEL: Polygram ARTIST: The Who TRACK: My Generation ALBUM: My Generation LABEL: MCA
Analog in Winter
For many decades, reel-to-reel analog tape has defined the experience of recorded sound. It became the standard after World War II, but has gradually been overtaken by cheaper digital technology. And so this month, the last tape manufacturer, Quantegy, abruptly closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy. As far as anyone knows, it represents the end of a medium. Culture maven Rick Karr joins Bob to recount the slow demise of analog tape.
Record Scratch
Anybody watching the inauguration on Thursday might have noticed a couple of ads employing a tried and true commercial sound effect: the record scratch. The needle and the vinyl groove may be going the way of analog tape, but the sonic signifier of "Whoa! Wait a Minute!" endures. Back in his OTM days, Mike Pesca compiled this report.
Highlights from Past Shows
Getting Out the Vote
January 14, 2005
If an Iraqi election takes place, but there's no one there to report it, does it make a sound? As conditions have deteriorated for foreign journalists in Iraq, they have increasingly relied on their Iraqi "fixers" for news gathering. Iraqi journalists aren't safe either - dozens have been killed since the war began. Hiwa Osman has been monitoring the state of Iraqi reporting for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and updates Brooke on the situation in advance of this month's elections.
Tsunami Web
January 07, 2005
In many ways, the internet was integrated into the tsunami aftermath more than in any previous natural disaster. Billboards were established to exchange information about missing loved ones. Millions of dollars were raised for relief efforts and bloggers transmitted up-to-the-second news with unprecedented speed and often video images unavailable to traditional media. Bob speaks with Esther Dyson, editor of Release 1.0 at C-NET Networks, about the newfound efficacy of the internet.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
