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When ABC broadcast its exclusive health-care-reform town hall meeting with President Obama on Wednesday, one group cried foul. The Media Fairness Caucus, newly formed with some 40 Republican House members, wrote to ABC News president David Westin to complain that Obama wouldn't, couldn't be challenged enough to satisfy them. Both Westin and Caucus head Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas weigh in.
Last week, NPR Ombudsman Alicia Shepard caused a minor uproar after responding to angry emails from listeners over NPR's use of the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques" to describe treatment of terrorism suspects under the Bush Administration. Shepard talks about NPR's policy and her own opinion on the use of the word "torture."
In the past few years, "The O'Reilly Factor" has adopted an old tradition from "60 Minutes"-era TV journalism: the ambush interview. We talk to John Cook, investigations editor for Gawker, who says that Bill O'Reilly uses the ambush to settle personal scores. Plus, OTM producer PJ Vogt describes shadowing Cook as he tried to ambush an ambusher.
Legendary producer Lowell Bergman worked for "60 Minutes" for nearly fifteen years. He describes the ambush interview's surprising origins and thorny legal history. He also explains why reporter Mike Wallace eventually stopped using the technique.
It seems the lowly infomercial is finally enjoying its moment in the sun. So far this year it has garnered a book, a reality show and even a television documentary by CNBC. We asked our producer Mike Vuolo to find out what is so compelling about the hard sell.
In September 1966, Gene Roddenberry dispatched the crew of the Starship Enterprise on its maiden voyage through space and time and into the American living room. It was an inauspicious start, but forty years later the Star Trek universe is still expanding. The new film debuted last weekend and shot to number one, with a nearly $80 million opening weekend. In a piece we originally ran in 2006, Brooke explored the various television incarnations of the franchise and the infinitely powerful engine behind it all: the fan.
Fox News’ relentless promotion, some might say co-sponsorship, of this week’s tax day tea parties made us wonder: did Fox News cover the events or help to create them? Brooke takes a look at the coverage.
Rush Limbaugh's keynote speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in DC last weekend received much media attention and left pundits wondering if he's the de facto leader of the republican party? A question the White House was more than happy to discuss. But Limbaugh wasn't the only radio professional at CPAC. We too were curious about the future of conservatism and its future media message. So Bob attended and came back with this report.
