Media
Good Will Hinton Interviews Todd Bouldin
by Will Hinton ()
Listen in as I interview Todd Bouldin of Pepperdine University. Todd is the Director of the Lilly Endowment Program on Vocation, Assistant to the Provost for Art and Media Initiatives, and is co-founder of the new MFA (masters of fine arts) program in Screen and Television Writing at Pepperdine.
Todd and I discuss the new MFA program at Pepperdine, the role of Christians in culture, the role of Christians in politics, and the upcoming election.
Good Will Hinton Interviews David Houle About The Shift Age
by Will Hinton ()
Listen in as I interview David Houle futurist and author of the book The Shift Age.
David and I discuss future trends including the democratization of information and media, why the traditional definition of "recession" is irrelevant, peak oil, alternative energy, the end of the age of "unlimited", and David's hope for the future.
"We will survive collectively or die individually"
"We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past" read more »
Good Will Hinton Interviews Ken Mueller of WXPN
by Will Hinton ()Listen in as I interview Ken Mueller of WXPN in Pennsylvania about the future of radio, changes in the music industry, and how technology and social networking is enabling democratization of cultural change.
Ken has over worked for over three decades in radio including almost ten years as the radio curator at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City.
Good Will Hinton Interviews Daniel Radosh, author of Rapture Ready
by Will Hinton ()
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Radosh, author of the new book Rapture Ready. Daniel wrote the book to investigate Christian pop culture and came away surprised at what he found. I highly recommend checking out his book.
Daniel and I had a great time discussing the "Culture War" and civility in the public arena. While I am sure that Daniel and I have many differences, I couldn't have found a better guy to enjoy a morning chat with.
Sean Hannity is a Raving Loon
by Will Hinton ()Sorry to be so uncharitable today. I know that some of you already think it self-evident that Hannity is a loon. For those conservatives out there who may think otherwise, let me submit evidence.
On Wednesday, Hannity got into a discussion with Alan Colmes about Halloween and stated that Halloween is a liberal holiday.
And why pray tell Sean is Halloween a liberal holiday?
"You're teaching your kids to beg for a handout."
And no, this was not in The Onion.
Ken Burns, The War and the New York Times
by Encyclopedia Brown ()Earlier this evening, PBS aired the first part of Ken Burn's latest epic documentary, "The War," which focuses on the American experience of the Second World War. Tonight's opening installment was gripping viewing, complete with extraordinary footage and moving stories of everyday veterans. The overwhelming sense of tragedy and devastation permeate a narrative that also captures both human honor and indignity. Weaved through the events of war are the stories of four American towns--one in the West, the South, the Midwest and the East--and how the war changed them forever.
As I watched, however, I became increasingly annoyed. Not with "The War" itself, mind you, but with the review of it I read earlier today from Alessandra Stanley in the The New York Times. Stanley wants to remind us that "World War II didn't just happen to us." Well no, and Burns didn't suggest that it did. In fact, the prologue suggested just the opposite by reminding viewers that other nations sustained heavier losses and the destruction of their homeland. Burns is very up front about the fact that he is examining the American experience of the war. Why is this a problem? According to Stanley, it's "rarely a good idea" to look at the war from the view of just "one belligerent." Not only that, Burns commits this offense in a documentary with the audacity to have such a "definitive" title as "The War." In fact, "it's telling" that Burns focuses so heavily on America. But perhaps there's an explanation: read more »
Tony Kornheiser Doesn't Know What Journalism Is
by Will Hinton ()I'm watching the Atlanta Falcons pre-season game tonight on Monday Night Football and not surprisingly much of the discussion is about Michael Vick. One of the commentators, Tony Kornheiser, just made one of the more ridiculous statements I have heard in a long time that betrays his inflated view of his profession.
Tony noted that the Atlanta Falcons organization has asked the media not to ask any of the players about Michael Vick during the game tonight. Tony said that this is censorship and that the journalists have the right to have access to the players and ask them anything they want.
Well Tony, it takes two to tango. Journalists certainly have the right to ask anything they want. But people (and organizations) have the right to not answer. We (non-journalists) don't owe you anything. We don't have to provide you with a sound clip. We don't have to answer questions we don't want to. We don't even have to acknowledge you. read more »
Down goes another one
by Michael Dunaway ()For years, The New Republic stood out for me as a place to go to hear reasoned, reasonable, well-articulated discourse from those to the left of me that I could respect. And until recently, Franklin Foer was nothing more to me than the author of an immensely enjoyable and educational, if slightly mistitled book, How Soccer Explains the World.
But I won't be buying any of Foer's books anymore. And as for The New Republic...well, they've now been consigned, in my book, to the heap of sources I now must discount as questionable (although they'd probably call the company good in that heap, since they're there with fellow fabricators the New York Times, CBS News, and NBC news). read more »
The Results of Professional Journalism: Economic Ignorance
by Will Hinton ()Generally when I read an article from the AP wire, I expect a piece that sticks to the facts. I found one Friday about housing in NYC that could not be more wrong.
According to Citi Habitats, a Manhattan rental brokerage firm, rental rates have risen in Manhattan to $2,000 a month for a studio apartment. Where this story gets interesting is the explanation for the steep rising in housing costs.
The report reflects that "we're the center of everything," said Citi Habitats spokesman Christopher Dente. "There's a lot of relocation—thousands of people are coming in." read more »
Web 2.0 vs. The Mainstream Media: Why Andrew Keen is Wrong
by Will Hinton ()Last week a friend of mine sent me a link to this New York Times review of Andrew Keen's new book "The Cult of the Amateur". Keen is often referred to as the leading contrarian and critic of Web 2.0. and ironically has his own Typepad hosted blog to discuss his disdain for blogs, social media, etc. (I wrestled with linking to his blog or not.)
This from the NYT review:
"Mr. Keen argues that what the Web 2.0 revolution is really delivering is superficial observations of the world around us rather than deep analysis, shrill opinion rather than considered judgment. In his view Web 2.0 is changing the cultural landscape and not for the better. By undermining mainstream media and intellectual property rights, he says, it is creating a world in which we will live to see the bulk of our music coming from amateur garage bands, our movies and television from glorified YouTubes, and our news made up of hyperactive celebrity gossip, served up as mere dressing for advertising. This is what happens, he suggests, when ignorance meets egoism meets bad taste meets mob rule.I couldn't disagree more with Keen. Not because I blog. But because Keen is wrong. read more »
Watching YouTube to Avoid Spreadsheet Duty
by Expat Teacher ()One thing I've learned quickly as an intern is that if you don't have anything to do, you will get the job no one wants. On Tuesday that meant I was given photocopied pages of the Illinois Bar Association directory. I was given Tucker to Zimmerman and told to make a spreadsheet of all the attorneys' first name, last name, e-mail, law firm, address, etc.
It was MIND NUMBINGLY BORING!
So I quickly decided I needed to do something to ensure the rest of my week didn't look the same. I don't mind calling people, asking for cash, but we aren't calling anyone this week because people are touchy about being harassed for $2300 during their vacation time. I had to do something, these mind numbing spreadsheets were sucking the life out of me.
I wrote the research department, who I met at the debate last week, with an idea. Maybe I could watch the YouTube videos for the upcoming debate on July 23rd and write down what people are asking.
They wrote back that I had the gig. Go watch all 473 (and counting) 30-second videos and write down the questions. read more »
The Tyranny of Conservative Talk Radio
by Kate ()I begin most mornings groggily reading the news online. The Drudge Report is one of the first sites I visit, which probably means I am conservative. This morning the hot topic on Drudge was that Hillary Clinton and Barbara Boxer were overheard by Jim Inhofe discussing a "legislative fix" for talk radio. As a conservative, you hear this kind of thing and think "That's not going to fly" or else you worry about vast left-wing conspiracies. I tend to the former.
However, this seems not to be so far-fetched as I thought. Given the blogs posted on here about the left's apparent domination of journalism, (granted, based on a sample group's political giving, but really, who doesn't know it is true) I begin to wonder why the only medium of political opinion apparently dominated by conservatives ought to be so feared as to be under threat of a "legislative fix". I thought liberals were all for free thinking and all about freedom of speech. read more »
The Neutrality of Leftist Journalism
by Marc Porlier ()In another blow to the critics of the term "Left-wing media bias", MSNBC is reporting that out of 144 journalists they identified, 125 contributed to Democratic or liberal causes in 2004. However, this is not the point of the story. The chief concern of senior editors and media board members is that the records of their reporters' donations are available to the public. As a result, many news organizations are prohibiting political donations altogether, but this has stirred up a conflict with the rank-and-file journalists.
The donors said they try to be fair in reporting and editing the news. One of the recurring themes in the responses is that it's better for journalists to be transparent about their beliefs, and that editors who insist on manufacturing an appearance of impartiality are being deceptive to a public that already knows journalists aren't without biases.
Essentially, the moral dilemma for senior management is how to maintain the appearance of fairness and neutrality. It's interesting that they prefer restricting donations over hiring more conservative journalists. read more »
Anyone else still want to dispute MSM bias?
by Michael Dunaway ()Here's a litmus test I sometimes use to give me an idea of whether someone on the left is reasonable. Can we end the debate about mainstream media bias? Please? Can we just all agree that the vast, vast majority of reporters lean left? And isn't it difficult to imagine that if you were working in a career that aspired to change the world and bring down the mighty, and you were surrounded nearly exclusively by people who shared your left leanings, it might -- just might -- make your reporting lean left significantly?
And most importantly, if all of that is true, how can any of us trust the information we're getting? read more »
What Is Goin' On with Will Hinton
by Will Hinton ()
Last week I had the honor of being interviewed on Wilson Smith's What's Goin On? radio show. Wilson is an attorney in Vidalia, GA and hosts one of the best radio shows on politics in Georgia. Recent guests have included my friend Erick Erickson of Peach Pundit, Sally Bethea of Upper Chattahoochee RiverKeeper, Doug Monroe, and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.I'm not sure how I got on Wilson's radar to discuss politics but I very much enjoyed this conversation.
Click here to hear the interview. read more »
How The Mainstream Media Created Ann Coulter
by Will Hinton ()I hate bringing up Ann Coulter. She represents everything that is wrong in our society. Some would say that she represents all that is wrong with conservatives but I would disagree because I don't really think she is conservative.
I just read that Coulter thinks that Newsweek made up their recent poll about presidential candidates in which Barack Obama led leading Republican candidates. As an explanation Coulter said
"I think this is Newsweek doing more push polling for al-Qaida."Coulter was grilled by Geraldo Rivera on this topic and not surprisingly the company who did the polling for Newsweek rejected Coulter's assertion. read more »
CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 covers Eric Volz Again
by Will Hinton ()The CNN Anderson Cooper 360 airing of Eric's story on Monday night received such an overwhelming web response (in the top 5 most viewed stories) that they're updating the story with a LIVE call from Anderson Cooper to Maggie (Eric's mom), on this next Monday night. The show will also include a conversation with a US Embassy spokesperson.
You can see the story at 10p ET / 9p CT / 8p MT / 7p PT. Watch CNN for more information, double-check your local schedule or here for current listings.
First, the good news....
by Kate ()In the U.S., some folks fret over the relative conservatism of Fox News, and its success, as if it were the foot in the door preceding the vast-right-wing-conspiracy to take over America's media. Many of us on the right look at the phenomenon as allowing a breath of fresh air in what had previously seemed a closed media, dominated by a left leaning corps of journalists, determinedly telling us the right way to understand the news. Being objective about the news meant, for them, seeing it their way. Having been once on the left, and now on the right, I admit that when I was on the left, the news seemed more favorable to the right than it has since I changed perspective. read more »
The Virginia Tech Shootings and the Media
by Will Hinton ()In the wake of Monday's tragic shootings at Virginia Tech, NBC decided yesterday to publish a package of information that the shooter, Cho Seung-Hui, mailed to the network before he killed himself. This package contained photos, videos, and letters attempting to explain what happened.
Quite frankly, I am disgusted that NBC would choose to make this information public so soon after the murder of 32 people. The media certainly has the right to publish this information and the public has a right to know this information. But it is just too soon and emotions are too raw for victim's families to be confronted with menacing pictures on the home page of MSNBC of the person who has taken loved ones from them.
It is one thing to report that this package was received and to describe the contents. It is quite another to publicize all the gory details.
So what say you my readers? I'm not interested in whether NBC had the legal right to do this; they certainly did. But was it the wise thing to do?
Update: I've read on a number of sites this morning that NBC struggled over whether to broadcast this information. Ridiculous! I don't believe that at all. Had they really struggled, they would have taken more time to think this decision through. I hate to be so cynical about this, but I think the only decision was how to maximize ratings.
Power Line Looks at Media Bias
by Curt ()
There you have it. Dr. Gray is a fuddy-duddy who "has long railed" and is outside the "mainstream." He has "dug his heels in" and is so out of date that he tries to dispute the obvious fact that the world is currently getting warmer! The AP is telling us that, however distinguished Gray may be, he can safely be disregarded on this issue. read more »
