Mailbag: So Who's Biased, Koppel or Sinclair?
I'll get back to cable news news soon, I promise. But this Nightline controversy sparked a lot of e-mail messages today. I used some of them for the poster protest:
> Mailbag: Comments on the Nightline/Sinclair controversy
I'm curling up in bed and watching tonight... 6:38:16 PM

Sinclair Is Listening
...Or reading, anyway: This site has recorded 130 hits from hv.sbgnet.com today...
6:38:10 PM

New On-Air Policy?: MSNBC Points Out Sinclair's Republican Donations
The National Debate notices something neat: "In reporting on Sinclair Broadcasting's decision to pre-empt Nightline, MSNBC's Sam Shane concluded his report by noting that Sinclair Broadcasting executives donated money to the Bush-Cheney campaign but did not donate money to the Kerry campaign. Perhaps this is part of a new policy at MSNBC where they inform readers of political contributions made by executives of companies mentioned in their news reports. Or, perhaps Sam picked up the talking points memo from the Center on American Progress." Great idea, or no? Let's do a mailbag on it... 6:37:56 PM

Note to FOX: Don't Accuse Koppel Of Bias By Ignoring Half The Facts
A FOX correspondent summed up the Nightline controversy on The Big Story at 5:45pm. Jonathan Hunt said that Koppel said he didn't have time for an interview with FOX today, but noted that Koppel did have time to call into "liberal" Air America. What Hunt forgot to mention is that Koppel also called into Sean Hannity's ("conservative") radio show this afternoon... 5:48:44 PM

My Poster Protest: Outside Sinclair Headquarters
I headed up I-83 to Hunt Valley this afternoon. You can see the Sinclair building from the interstate exit. I pulled past the "No Trespassing" sign and dropped off my posters. Other messages included "737 Americans have died in Iraq: Sorry it's not 'good news.'"
I dropped off the posters in the parking lot. I didn't think they'd be too friendly inside. Apparently it was only a coincidence that two police cars tailed me as I headed back onto the highway.
Don't mistake my anger at Sinclair as a liberal bias -- I'm frustrated only at the particular situation. I'll be watching Nightline tonight. I will post some of your e-mails later today...

Two of the signs

Outside the building
> More photos from outside Sinclair's headquarters 4:36:17 PM

Sinclair: This Is My Boiling Point
It's not cable, but I'm pretty pissed off:
> WP: Stations to Boycott 'Nightline's' List of the Fallen
> NYT: "Some Stations to Block 'Nightline' War Tribute"
> Balt Sun: Sinclair stations won't air 'Nightline'
Anyone want to e-mail me a message for Sinclair? I think I'm going to take a drive up to their Hunt Valley headquarters this afternoon... 10:17:05 AM

The Snowball Effect
An MSNBC show (Hardball) beat a CNN show (360) for the first time ever this month. So this e-mailer has an interesting thought:
"Remember... when Fox began to overtake CNN, it started with one hour (O'Reilly), and eventually spread to total day."
Something to think about... 10:16:01 AM

Cheney Praises FOX News Channel: "They're more accurate"
"Cheney Praises Fox News Channel" is the headline for Mike Allen's A5 WP piece today. Here is Dick's quote: "It's easy to complain about the press -- I've been doing it for a good part of my career," Cheney said. "It's part of what goes with a free society. What I do is try to focus upon those elements of the press that I think do an effective job and try to be accurate in their portrayal of events. For example, I end up spending a lot of time watching Fox News, because they're more accurate in my experience, in those events that I'm personally involved in, than many of the other outlets." Allen points out that "it is unusual for a president or vice president to single out a commercial enterprise for public praise..." 10:08:27 AM

Ratings in Perspective: "Big stuff" for MSNBC; still "whomped" by FOX
Lisa de Moraes puts the Hardball-over-360 story in perspective: "Of course, both got whomped by Fox News Channel's "Fox Report," which clocked far more viewers than the other two shows combined -- 1.5 million -- and also beat their combined ratings in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic." But she notes: "Still, MSNBC's beating of CNN at 7 is pretty big stuff. Heck, MSNBC beating anybody is pretty big stuff. Especially when you consider that as recently as March, Cooper had a fairly comfortable lead over Matthews: 502,000 viewers to 436,000 viewers." 8:35:54 AM

Hardball Host "disappointed me by lobbying softballs" to Kerry
Scripps Howard director of editorial policy Jay Ambrose sums up several e-mails I've received since Tuesday night: "The other night the host of MSNBC's 'Hardball with Chris Matthews' disappointed me by lobbing softballs to an ideological soul mate, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry...The questions directed at the Democratic presidential candidate were on the order of why he is so great and President George W. Bush so loutish...The portion of the Matthews-Kerry interview that I saw was a reminder of the Matthews past, the fact that he had labored on behalf of Democrats for much of his adult life." 8:34:22 AM

Tricky Teases: It Takes A Pro To Write A Promo
Next to a photo of Bill Hemmer smiling, CNN.com asks this question: "Ten U.S. troops are killed in a string of attacks in Iraq. Is there hope that the violence will end?" It's a tease for American Morning. But it's pretty pathetic. Of course there is hope that the violence will end. I don't need you to tell me that, Bill. Tell me if it is realistic that the violence will end... 8:20:03 AM

"Harrigan on the Hunt" Returns
Steve Harrigan has a new blog entry online, straight from Baghdad. He describes the journey from Jordan to Iraq, including "one more decent meal." 11:39:29 PM

Al Sharpton to CNBC? "He should be on Comedy Central"
The e-mails about Sharpton's CNBC talks were all negative:
Jill: What would Al Sharpton have to contribute to a business channel? He should be on "Comedy Central."
Joni: Don't know why CNBC continues to "try" more and more "edgy" entertainment. The more they try, the worse they get. I wouldn't watch Al if he was the last guy on tv. What a farce!
Sir Rosis: Sharpton is perfect for CNBC. They are the "losers network" -Tina Brown and Dennis Miller are getting zilch in the ratings book and hopefully CNBC will put Fat Al into obscurity by signing him. He's as "entertaining" as hemmoroids. 11:39:02 PM

Hardball Tonight: "Primetime television moment of historic proportions"
Dominic Bellone sure knows how to tease Hardball. Check out his newsletter today: "Members of our staff have been working on something for Chris so super secret that even your Briefing editor has been kept largely in the dark...Tonight we'll reveal it to the world in what promises to be a primetime television moment of historic proportions...If you've even enjoyed one scintilla of a moment in the last seven years of Hardball (and I know you have or else you wouldn't be reading this), you'll not want to miss tonight's show...Should you plan your dinner around it, pop the popcorn & break out the TV trays? Yes. Should you call your neighbors, friends and family about it? Yes. Should you take the phone off the hook during the show? Yes"... 5:30:33 PM

Car Chase Controversy: What Happened To Five-Second Delay?
A TVSpy thread discusses the car chase video aired live on FOX this morning. "Was it right for helicopter photographers to zoom into a body and clearly isn't moving?," one person asks. "The Fox anchor apologized for showing the unconscious dude but the net got what it wanted," another person remarks. But: "Let's all remember the general viewing audience can probably stomach a brief glimpse now and then," a third person adds. What happened to the five-second delay?... 3:40:54 PM

Car Chase on FOX: Driver Crashes, Ejected From Vehicle
They were airing a car chase in Houston around 11:30am. The truck sped off the road into grass and rolled over multiple times. The driver was ejected and laid motionless in the grass. As the chopper cam zoomed in to the body, David Asman reacted: "Let's get off -- let's get off of that right now...We're sorry -- sometimes we have a tape delay...We do apologize for that." No word yet if the driver is alive...
> UPDATE: The driver was taken to a hospital. No word on his condition yet. (KHOU) 11:37:11 AM

Cablers All Air Pool Report; FOX Drops It For Car Chase
All three cable news networks aired Karl Penhaul's pool report from Fallujah at the top of the 11am hour. His reports continue to be top-notch. FOX dipped out of the pool report at 11:06am to air helicopter video from a car chase in Houston. At the same time, CNN turned to Jane Arraf, who reported via videophone from Najaf, and MSNBC showed a coalition spokesperson. MSNBC seemed "to be on a 5-7 second delay behind CNN and FOX" with the pool report, Henry notes... 11:11:53 AM

Vester: Good News Segments Inspired By Viewers & Gary Sinise
Linda Vester writes into CableNewser to explain the impetus of her new good-news Iraq segment on DaySide: "[It] was inspired by numerous complaints from my audience (both in the studio and at home) that they do not feel they're seeing an accurate picture, that all they see is the violence," she says. "And they're right."
She continues: "I don't want to be part of the problem: I want to be part of the solution. I've been talking a lot recently with actor Gary Sinise, who co-founded a charity called 'Operation Iraqi Children' -- and it was Gary who gave me the idea to feature good news stories directly from soldiers in the field. He put out the word to all the soldiers he knows, and I put out the word with Public Affairs Officers for the military. Then the emails started flowing in -- letter after letter from soldiers, sharing the things they have done for Iraqis (rebuilding schools, starting soccer teams, I can go on and on). Every letter I read is wonderful -- so now I'm sharing these stories with our viewers." 9:57:17 AM

WHCA Dinner: 'Apprentice' At MSNBC's Table; Wayne Newton At CNN's
The WP Reliable Source begins the White House Correspondents Association dinner gossip with a list of what celebs will be sitting at what table. "MSNBC has scored Bill Rancic, winner of the NBC reality show The Apprentice," Leiby says. And: "CNN charmed Wayne Newton into cutting his European vacation short to attend (which may have been the reward for Tucker Carlson referring to the singer as "one of the most charming people anywhere" on "Crossfire" last week)." You just know Wonkette is buzzing... 9:55:27 AM

Third-Place MSNBC Gets First-Place Ratings Write-Ups
FOX won the ratings war in April, but MSNBC won a key battle, and that's the story TV crix are focusing on. Variety titles their story "MSNBC talker tops CNN" and writes that "for the first time in its history, MSNBC outdrew CNN in a key evening slot." The LA Times says "'Hardball' scores over CNN foe." Their lead: "It's rare that third-place cable news network MSNBC has good ratings news, but April was an exception..." 9:53:05 AM

Al Sharpton Is In Talks With CNBC
Reuters has the scoop: "CNBC is in talks with Sharpton...about hosting a series of specials, with an option to turn him into a regular nightly contributor to the cable business channel. A CNBC spokeswoman confirmed that the network is in talks with Sharpton but declined to elaborate." What would you like to see Sharpton talk about on TV? Will you watch his show? E-mail your thoughts or use the form above. 9:41:49 AM

Mailbag: Good News = Good Journalism?
Most readers who responded to this question supported Linda Vester's good-news-from-Iraq segments on DaySide. It's the subject of a mailbag:
CableNewser Mailbag: Is A 'Good News' Segment Good Journalism? 1:03:15 AM

Dobbs' Outsourcing Crusade: "An attempt to create a signature" for CNN?
"Lou Dobbs is on a crusade," Caroline Wilbert writes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday morning. The crusade is about "offshoring," of course. "The topic strikes a chord with many Americans, and Dobbs' ratings are moving up. Dobbs, however, says that his motivation isn't ratings. If it were, he said, he'd do sensational stories about Kobe Bryant or Laci Peterson." An obligatory media critic quote: "The big thing in cable is how do you get attention, how to do you stand out," Tom Rosenstiel says. "CNN has had difficulty creating signature programs. This could be an attempt to create a signature by owning a topic." 1:02:36 AM

Another Soldier Complains About The Media
It should become a daily feature: Another newspaper quotes another soldier who complains about the media's version of events in Iraq. Angel Rivera says he has watched cable news coverage since coming home from Kirkuk. "We didn’t see the media over there," Rivera said. "We wouldn’t watch the cable news stations [because] they’re portraying every­thing in a different way than it’s really happening." His wife stopped watching it: "[Those stations] only show the negativity," she said... 12:03:34 AM

Kudos to Karl Penhaul: Amazing Reports From Fallujah
Karl Penhaul's live reports from a rooftop in northwest Fallujah were compelling this afternoon. The CNN correspondent reported live via nightscope and videophone for all the networks. CNN and MSNBC took his narration live.
"Karl Penhaul is the pool reporter for all the networks right now," Kyra Phillips said on CNN. "Because of the security situation and the danger and the threat that exists there in Fallujah, Karl is the sole reporter, doing live shots for all the networks."
Miles O'Brien called Penhaul's work "extraordinary." The transcript is a must-read...
11:59:06 PM

! Hardball Beats 360 In April
Hardball beat Anderson Cooper 360 in April, marking "the first time MSNBC has ever claimed a win over CNN in a key evening hour," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says. "Hardball with Chris Matthews averaged 476,000 viewers in April, beating CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, which averaged 461,000. Fox News' 7 p.m. show with Shepard Smith was the winner, attracting an average of 1.47 million viewers." A CNN spokesperson has a sad quote in the story... 5:56:51 PM

April Ratings: FOX Dominates (Surprise!)
Quoting a FOX press release today: "FOX News Channel (FNC) beat CNN and MSNBC combined in viewership and demographics in the Prime Time and 24-Hour time periods for April '04, according to Nielsen Media Research." The channel had 10 of the top 11 cable news shows. "April's losers included CNN's much hyped Paula Zahn Now and Wolf Blitzer Live, down 72% and 65% respectively from Apr. '03. On MSNBC, Countdown with Keith Olbermann and Lester Holt Live were down 69% and 82% respectively from their Apr. '03 averages," the press release says. Keep in mind that the war in Iraq was ongoing in April '03... 5:55:10 PM

Linda Vester Tries To Fix "The Media"
"What's Wrong With The Media?" is the headine on Linda Vester's FOXNews.com column. And she answers the question: "They're not showing you an accurate picture in Iraq." And she is doing something about it: "As of today, you're going to see something new on “DaySide.” Something called "Only on Fox", because that's the only place you'll see it. Dispatches directly from soldiers (with photos -- the miracle of e-mail!), showing the GOOD news in Iraq." She's doing it for us, apparently: "You deserve more balanced coverage -- and I, for one, will bring it to you." So is Linda no longer a member of the "media," then? Is this good journalism? E-mail or use the form above to weigh in... 10:23:39 AM

How Old Can "New Video" Be?
DCRTV Dave thinks the "New Video" graphic is abused: "Fox News got about 3 minutes of new generic "war" footage of soldiers running around buildings in Iraq, firing guns, etc. And during the first half hour of John Gibson's "Big Story" (David Asman subbing) [they] must have cycled through it a dozen times (!) while talking heads went blabbering." This morning, FOX offered a News Alert for nightscope video "just in to the FOX newsroom" from Sunday.
Update from Mark: "David Asman was showing more "new video" from Iraq this morning. He took pains to ask the reporter in Iraq why this was "new video" when in fact the pictures were a day old. The eporter went into an explanation of how it had to go from here to there by courier, etc. Somehow I think they were reading cablenewser!" 10:20:42 AM

CNN Has "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians"
Michelle writes in: "Did you see Scott Collins on FNC this morning? He said the single greatest reason FNC overtook CNN was due to the streamlined, stable management at Fox. Roger Ailes has a "definite vision" of what he wants the network to look like, Collins said. Conversely, he accused CNN of being an overloaded bureaucracy with too many chiefs and not enough Indians." 10:19:08 AM

Sharpton's TV Talk Show Deal
The National Debate points out this one-liner in a NYPost story: "The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to close on a TV talk-show deal this week." Stay tuned... 9:46:26 AM

Soldier: "CNN only airs what they want you to see"
Army Specialist Justin Jacobsen, of the 51st Airborne Signal Battalion in Iraq, complains about the media in a story in the Desert Dispatch (CA) newspaper. "CNN only airs what they want you to see," he says. "I finally told my mom to stop watching, because it wasn't true." His partner Bryan Neice agrees: "He said the media is "wrong" and that the picture they are depicting for Americans is inaccurate," the paper writes... 9:27:31 PM

Are Cable News Polls Fair And Balanced?
"Did you find it interesting that the CNN and Fox presidential polls seem to have undergone roll reversal?," a WP chatter asked Howard Kurtz today. "CNN (an allegedly liberal network) had Bush up by 5 or 6 points but Fox (an allegedly conservative network) had the race even." His response: "This is one area where I don't believe bias comes into play. They don't send Aaron Brown and Bill O'Reilly out to do these polls--they're conducted by professional companies hired by the networks. There might be room for bias, or a little topspin, in interpreting the survey results, and conceivably even in the questions, but the networks don't really have any influence on how the numbers come out." 6:55:33 PM

Lou Dobbs Is "On A Jihad," CEO Rep Says
...Quoting the Reuters lead: "The head of a group representing the chief executive officers of America's largest corporations on Monday accused CNN's Lou Dobbs of alarmist "one-sided" reporting about outsourcing and the shipping of U.S. jobs overseas. 'He's on a jihad,' John Castellani, president of the Washington-based Business Roundtable, told reporters." The wire service has a response from Lou... 6:50:37 PM

CNN Exec Donates $114,000 For Stranger's Kidney Transplant
On Sunday, CNN executive Eason Jordan read an Atlanta Journal Constitution profile of a 13-year-old immigrant who couldn't afford a life-saving kidney transplant. This morning, he drove to the hospital and offered to pay for the $114,000 procedure. "This is a humanitarian gesture," Jordan said today. "It's a gift from my heart." Heroic. "God has answered my prayers," the boy's mother said... 4:21:37 PM

CNN, Chemical Weapons, "Exclusive," & Confusion
"CNN has obtained a video of alleged al Qaeda operatives confessing to Jordanian police about plans for a major chemical weapons attack in Amman," Kagan said during the 10am hour. She said John Vause would play the video on NewsNight this evening. Then at 2:15pm, there's a news alert from CNN.com: "Jordanian authorities say they broke up alleged al Qaeda plot to unleash deadly chemical cloud in heart of Amman. Details soon." By that time, the NewsNight web site promised "exclusive details and a full report" tonight. So what happened? Why did CNN 'tease' the story this morning, then announce it as 'breaking news' hours later? And didn't FOX mention this story days ago?... 3:36:59 PM

Michael Okwu: Goodbye CNN, Hello NBC
The channel-swapping continues: CNN NY correspondent Michael Okwu became an NBC News correspondent today. The press release is here; he starts immediately. Okwu will be based in Burbank... 3:17:52 PM

CNBC's "Executive Leadership Awards"
CNBC and the Wall Street Journal are teaming up for the first annual 'Executive Leadership Awards.' They will "honor individuals who are making a difference through business leadership and innovation," the press release says. "Winners in four categories will be announced at a gala awards dinner on Wednesday, June 23, 2004, in New York." 3:17:24 PM

CNN's Penhaul Reporting For Network Pool In Fallujah
Embedded CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul reported for the "U.S. networks pool" from a roof in Fallujah this morning. "We are sharing his duties with other networks around the world," Bill Hemmer said on American Morning. CNN has aired Penhaul's reports repeatedly. FOX showed the video, but not the voiceover. Hemmer said his transmission ability has been "touch and go." His reports have been outstanding... 11:47:59 AM

Greta Describes The Best Part About Her Job
"The best part about my job is meeting people who have been part of history," Greta Van Susteren writes on FOXNews.com today. She describes her relationship with Henry Kissinger. "You can learn so much and you get a chance to try and "fill in the blanks" -- get information you never had and always wondered about. Plus, it is always fascinating to get the story from the inside." 11:47:26 AM

"Information Black Hole" For Journos Covering N.K. Train Crash
BBC correspondent Louisa Lim writes a profound dispatch from Dandong, China, where she is attempting to report on the North Korean train disaster. "For the international press pack sent here to cover the aftermath of the blast, Dandong is little more than an information black hole," she writes. "Two days in Dandong has been a sobering reminder that access to information, in some places, is still a privilege, not a right. In most countries in the world, we take it for granted that if a disaster happens, we will find out and hold whoever responsible to account, and we also take it for granted that we will respond with compassion." 10:51:39 AM

Peterson Trial: "Giant Media Bazaar" Outside Courthouse
The San Francisco Chronicle excerpts Maureen Orth's new book "The Importance of Being Famous" in Sunday editions. Several fascinating paragraphs refer to intensive media coverage of the Laci Peterson case. She describes Camp Peterson: "The networks each have white tents, which are spread out across the street from the courthouse. The scene is like a giant media bazaar, with numerous talking heads selling their wares over the airwaves. Until recently, a local denizen with some radio experience knocked on the doors of the satellite trucks daily to ask if any man-on-the-street sound bites were needed." 11:32:43 PM

O'Reilly: Laci Peterson is "the only thing keeping Larry King on the air"
Chronicle excerpt quotes Bill O'Reilly on his rationale for Laci Peterson coverage: "Every time we put (the story) on, the ratings spike," he said. "It's the only thing keeping Larry King on the air. We do Laci Peterson every 15 minutes and see the numbers go up. It's a story that resonates with women particularly." Larry King E.P. Wendy Whitworth counters: "I don't determine what I do according to Fox." 11:31:00 PM

Carry The FOX Theme In Your Pocket
Want the FOX News theme song to ring on your cell phone? MIDIRingTones has the main theme for purchase, along with jingles for the FOX Report, O'Reilly Factor, H&C;, and On the Record. They cost $2.50 each; the polyphonic rings sound great, while the standard ones are barely distinguishable... 11:27:30 PM

FOX + Canada = "Cross-border food fight"
The New York Times summarizes the FOX border dispute, and offers a fair and balanced look at the mess: "Two weeks ago, the Canadian cable industry filed an application with the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission to begin including the Fox News Channel among its listings...The cultural divide burst into raw insult when Fox News' Bill O'Reilly recently got into a public brouhaha with John Doyle, the television critic for The Globe and Mail, Canada's most influential newspaper. American news junkies couldn't help but get into the cross-border food fight..." A must-read. 11:26:46 PM

M.J. Indictment: FOX Was There Part Of The Time
A senior source inside FOX News sets the record straight on the M.J. indictment story posted Friday: "Fox was in Santa Barbara, at the courthouse all day on Wednesday, when the MJ indictment broke. It wasn't staffed in the weeks beforehand. The nets left people there for the whole time, but nets don't mind expensive people sitting around for weeks. However, with earlier rumors of an indictment, Fox sent people. Anita Vogel did two live hits during Greta, in the 10pm E hour." 11:15:08 PM