Quote of the day
KWWL-TV Political Analyst Dr. Jeff Stein: "It used to be that any publicity is good publicity, but in this age of the Internet and twenty-four seven cable news and people commenting on performance, I don't think Howard Dean would find this publicity to be in his best interest." Have we reached the point where that cliche is no longer true?... 10:50:19 PM

! Clark Decries Debate's "Republican Agenda;" Accuses FOX of Bias
This could get interesting: "Clark...accused Fox News of conspiring against him in Thursday's debate," the Washington Post reports in Saturday editions. "I looked at who was asking the questions, and I think that was part of the Republican agenda in the debate," Clark told reporters. Quoting from a separate AP story: "Fox News spokesman Paul Schur said Clark should be used to facing tough questions about his record." Hmmm... 10:50:04 PM

Princell "Putting His Stamp" On CNN
"Hair...is putting his stamp on the network," Caroline Wilbert says in her AJC CNN shakeup lead. Other than that though, it's really just an AP re-write... 10:49:01 PM

"The first ever 3-D TV transmission of the Martian landscape"
Of course my cable had to malfunction during a special edition of NewsNight -- Miles O'Brien is taking viewers on a 3-D tour of Mars. "We will present the first ever 3-D TV transmission of the Martian landscape," the web site promises. Make sure to get your 3-D glasses ready to experience this television first." The site has featured information on obtaining the glasses (or making your own) for a week, and Aaron promo'd it many times... 10:34:59 PM

CNN Shakeup: A Move to Centralize News-gathering?
CBS Marketwatch adds this tidbit to the CNN shakeup story: "In Atlanta, ...some staffers were concerned that Hair's changes underscore the management's desire to centralize what it had often been a de-centralized news-gathering operation, and a consolidation of the general news production." Jon Friedman doesn't hesitate to note that "CNN is facing considerable pressure to re-establish itself." FR's are poking fun... 10:32:10 PM

Joe Johns Leaves NBC News
The AP's short shakeup story mentions that CNN has hired Joe Johns away from NBC. He will report on Capitol Hill. DCRTV points out Joe was with the peacock for 2 decades. 10:31:57 PM

Jim Avila Leaves NBC News
A big loss for NBC: "Jim Avila resigned amicably this week after 10 years at NBC," the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The paper mentions speculation that Avila will join ABC's PrimeTime newsmagazine as a correspondent... 10:31:46 PM

Princell Hair Dictates Dramatic Changes at CNN
Today's CNN shakeup, as outlined in this memo, is extensive. They include "a robust futures process and a fully integrated and empowered bureau system," in Hair-speak. "Today the blueprint has been laid, the map drawn," he said... (Full memo // Watercooler reaction)
    > Reporters who serve as bureau chiefs will be supplemented by people "whose sole responsibility it is to manage the newsgathering and production apparatus in their region."
    > A "revamped and expanded" planning unit will be "charged with constantly developing stories and series that will...be important to increasing time spent viewing"
    > CNN's 11 domestic bureaus will now be divided into four regions
    > A regional bureau chief and supervising producer will be added (another mgmt layer?)
    > Another Princell priority: improve the Features unit; it will now include Sports, too
    > Richard Griffiths promoted to Editorial Director; his mission: "better story-telling"
7:07:39 PM

Why Communities Like To Host Debates
...They soak up the free publicity! In South Carolina, local leaders hope to inform the nation, through the press, that their state is "more than a dumping ground for plutonium or a battleground for the Confederate flag and Martin Luther King Jr. holiday debates." MSNBC hosts a debate from there next week. More in the Carolina Morning News... 7:06:13 PM

Kross Out, Bohrman In At CNN DC
"I have asked David Bohrman to become Vice President of News and Production/Washington Bureau Chief," CNN head Princell Hair said in a memo today ."We are working with Kathryn Kross on a new role with the network and I thank her for her exhaustive efforts in DC." Bohrman was NewsNight's EP... Romenesko has the full memo. 5:13:24 PM

MSNBC/CNBC Primary Plans: Replica of Caucus Coverage
NBC has announced New Hampshire primary coverage plans. MSNBC is sticking with exactly the same plan they used during the caucus: Chris Matthews from 7am to midnight, then Keith Olbermann until 1am. On CNBC, John Seigenthaler will anchor at 8, break for Dennis at 9, then come back live until midnight. The The press release... 2:18:19 PM

The Election Express Crew Gets Along Well
Bob Franken checks in from the Election Express: "It's not that the bus isn't comfortable -- it is. But we are together day in and day out, and have managed to enjoy each other's company immensely. It must be the fact that it's kind of fun to cover a campaign like this..." 2:17:55 PM

No More CNBC World At 4am
Did you, like me, enjoy watching a bit of CNBC's international coverage early early in the mornings on CNBC? Well, it's no more. The 4am live broadcasts from London are being replaced by a Dennis Miller repeat. Here's the announcement; Digital Spy picked up on it. 2:17:21 PM

Weapons of the TV President: “melodramatic gesture and the photo op”
This story is never going to die. The Star-Ledger analyzes that speech heard ‘round the channels: “The badge, the flight suit, the turkey -- all were clearly designed to function in a world of 24-hour news, where signature images are replayed ad nauseam, replicating themselves on TV and the Internet like a computer virus.” 7:30:24 AM

CNN/FOX War: "Iowa close; speech isn't"
“Fox News claimed two political victories this week,” Caroline Wilbert says in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this morning, recaping the FOX/CNN ratings war this week... 7:29:10 AM

Brit Hume Praised for Debate Handling
Jeffy Jacoby sums up last night's debate in the Boston Globe: "Hume really was terrific last night. Maybe it's not too late to get him on the ballot." 7:28:17 AM

Inside the Debate Hall: What Viewers Didn't See
Howie is on a roll! Mr. Kurtz submits a recap of the Democrats' squabbling from his "perch inside the debate hall." He describes one moment viewers at home didn't see, where Dean "marched over" to moderator Hume during a commercial break. "Dean remains the big story, to judge from the spin room, as fully half the reporters waited by a stand labeled "Dean" for the candidate, who never emerged," Kurtz said. Also: "A debate looks very different from inside the hall than it does on television," Kurtz writes, and explains how. 12:53:46 AM

Bush on Gregory: "He thinks my job is to answer every question he asks"
NBC star David Gregory tried to turn President Bush's lunch Wednesday into a press conference. "What do you think of the Democratic field, sir?" Nice try -- no luck. Bush responded: "See, his job is to ask questions. He thinks my job is to answer every question he asks. I'm here to help this restaurant by buying food." And on it went, Rich Leiby transcribes in the WP gossip column... 12:21:38 AM

Media "exploring the psychodrama of Dean vs. Dean"
Howard Kurtz expands on his online column in the dead tree Post C1 Friday morning: "The reporters are all talking about the implosion," reads the lede, and continues: "For the media, the story now is not so much about pitting Dean against John Kerry, John Edwards or Wesley Clark as exploring the psychodrama of Dean vs. Dean." Good read... 12:20:29 AM

(un?)FAIR Part Two: Dennis Miller's Producer Conflict of Interest
And another FAIR story this morning: the liberal organization blowing a whistle on Dennis Miller's show before it even airs, naming what they call a "serious conflict of interest:" Consulting producer Mike Miller was a political advisor for Ahh-nold last year, and it just so happens that the new govern-ator will be among Miller's guests Monday. "Having a producer for a political talkshow working as a political operative is a clear conflict of interest," FAIR's press release says. Other Monday guests include McCain and Guiliani, BTW... 12:19:04 AM

(un?)FAIR Part One: Lou Dobbs' "Skewed Reporting"
Extra! (FAIR's bi-monthly print edition) calls attention to the "skewed reporting" of Lou Dobbs. The CNN anchor's favorite subject, or as FAIR puts it, "ax to grind," is immigration. "The selection of topics, the slanted sourcing and the occasionally inaccurate or incomplete information conveyed on the program all seemed calculated to convince the viewer that the U.S. is in the midst of a crisis," FAIR writes. Keep reading... 12:17:34 AM