CableNewser: CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and why they matter

Ratings: I Bet You Can Guess Who Ranked First & Last
Drudge has turned in another edition of everyone's favorite capital-letters list, "CABLE NEWS RACE." Here's how it breaks down. FOX had a great night: O'Reilly earned a 2.0, while H&C and Greta each pulled 1.6's and Shep saw a 1.3. Larry King averaged a 1.1, and Aaron Brown (with Wolf filling in) had a 0.6. A bunch of 0.4's: 360, Zahn Now, Hardball, and Scarborough. Norville Tonight (with the great substitute Willow Bay) averaged a 0.3, Dennis Miller 'earned' a 0.2, and McEnroe ranked last with a 0.1. Did anyone ever expect that McEnroe would earn fewer viewers than Dennis Miller?
> Update: Special Report was left out on the list. It earned a 1.3 Thursday night, giving FOX the top 5 shows. 4:32:08 PM

Media Notes: Stewart Coverage Tidbits; CNN, Robot
> MSNBC was the first cabler to report Peter Bacanovic's sentence, an e-mailer says. Sam Shane was anchoring. But MSNBC.com was the last cable site to post it...
> This TVHead says MSNBC first announced Martha's sentence as "five years."
> Buzzmachine says "NYTimes.com beat the cable sites to the [sentencing] news."
> FOX News Watch will be discussing "Outfoxed" Saturday at 6:30pm.
> A CNN segment on the new movie "I, Robot" included a bit of fancy camera action: CNNfan.com video 4:30:01 PM

Keith Olbermann: "Brent Bozell Is A Big Bearded Idiot"
...That's the subject line of the MSNBC anchor's e-mail to CableNewser about this post: "Conveniently ignored in the 'analysis' of cable news by such pedants as Mr. Bozell is a simple truth. On the average weeknight, the three broadcast network newscasts, which he and others also dismiss as liberal propaganda, have a combined audience ten times that of Bill O'Reilly. This is no longer even largely attributable to an imbalance between homes with and without cable. If Mr. Bozell's own view of news as a political election is, in fact, correct, then his side is losing, every night, by about 92 to 8." 3:12:37 PM

! "Outfoxed:" MoveOn.org Plans "Major Legal Actions" Against FOX
On Monday, July 19, MoveOn.org and other liberal organizations will announce "major legal actions" against FOX News Channel for their use of the phrase "fair and balanced." This is according to a press release on TVBarn.com, which says that "at a press conference that will begin at the Warwick Hotel and conclude with the delivery of legal papers to FOX News’ NYC studio this Monday, representatives from MoveOn.org and others will unveil their next step in the campaign to hold FOX News accountable." It doesn't seem to have been widely publicized yet, but a spokesperson for Common Cause confirmed it is slated to go forward Monday morning... 1:21:56 PM

"Outfoxed:" FOX's Wilson Calls It A "Third-Rate Hack Job"
"Decide for yourself!," Brian Wilson writes in his FOXNews.com 'Beltway Beat' column today. "You may have noticed that your friends at the FOX News Channel have been under attack of late," he writes. "To hear some tell it, we are the personification of evil, a blight on society and may even be responsible for a worldwide epidemic of plantar warts." His opinion of the film: "[It is an] alleged documentary is in fact a third-rate hack-job, full of clips pulled out of context, edited in such a way as to cast FOX News in the worst possible light."
> Newshounds responds: "Wilson does not say is, in my view, more interesting than what he does." 1:19:30 PM

"Outfoxed:" Does It Actually Break New Ground?
"Outfoxed" is a polemic, not exactly in the Michael Moore mode but not that far from it -- a tell-all that doesn't tell much at all," Steven Zeitchik writes in the Wall Street Journal today. "There is almost nothing here you couldn't figure out just by watching the network," the Publisher's Weekly news editor says. He suggests a more interesting film "would have explored not simply how Fox is partisan but why such partisanship caught on in the first place." (Via Poynter) 1:07:55 PM

Media Notes: It's A Slow Cable-News Day Edition
> Howard Kurtz asks: "Is the press trying to get Dick Cheney dumped?"
> Geneva Overholser says that "Outfoxed" has blown the subject of "increasing polarization of news audiences" wide open. More at Poynter...
> AP: "An appeal by news media wanting access to court information in the Michael Jackson child molestation case went unheard for a week because a clerk refused to place it on the court docket, according to court papers."
> One of the F&F; cameramen was doing a crossword puzzle ("focusing on a 9-letter word for pasta") when his chair broke yesterday. Doocy talked about it live on the air. Today: There are no chairs for the cameramen! Read all about it on their blog. 11:55:19 AM

MSNBC's Ratings: "You Need A Pretty Good Set Of Binoculars" --Bozell
Brent Bozell's evidence of an impending 'liberal media meltdown:' "...Consider that CNN, once the flagship of cable news, is in a complete free fall. Consider that if you want to find MSNBC on the ratings, you need a pretty good set of binoculars, they're so far down the path. And ask the media, 'Why is it that everyone is leaving you?" Their answer is always, "Well, because there is too much competition out there,' and they point to different news outlets, like talk radio and the Internet and what not. Now, if that were true, how does one explain Fox?..." "Free fall?" I'm not sure that's fair. Here's the interview, at CBNNews.com. 11:44:44 AM

Next Stops For Stewart: Barbara Walters, Larry King
Now for the post-verdict spin. Martha Stewart will appear with Larry King Monday night: "Marking her first and only live interview since the sentencing, Stewart will discuss the trial and her future," a press release said. "She will take viewer calls." If you can't wait until then, Martha will sit down with ABC's Barbara Walters today. The interview will air on 20/20 at 10pm tonight. 11:20:16 AM

Any Bets On What Today's Top Story Will Be?
This is going to be a fun day for the cable nets: "Martha Stewart sentenced to five months in prison and two years probation," CNN.com says. "Martha Stewart Sentenced to Five Months in Prison," FOXNews.com summarizes. An e-mailer says FOX was first with the verdict. Let's see what sort of catchy lower-thirds the channels can think up!...
> Update: "Fox News, MSNBC, and CNBC [were] in a dead heat announcing the Martha Stewart sentencing," an e-mailer says. NBC News was the first broadcast network to break the news, with Brian Williams reporting. CBS's John Roberts followed moments later. Charlie Gibson anchored coverage on ABC.
> Send your coverage impressions to [email protected] 10:28:21 AM

I Was A Lab Rat For "Murdoch's Anti-Journalism," O'Donnell Says
In an e-mail to CableNewser, 'Outfoxed' interviewee Frank O'Donnell responds to FNC's allegation that he was never a "Fox News producer."

"Contrary to Fox's misleading assertion, Greenwald was entirely accurate in his description of me. I did work as a news manager and producer for the Fox company. (Believe me, the annual notices I get about the solvency of the Fox, Inc. pension fund definitely describe me as a former Fox employee!)"

But what exactly is misleading? "O’Donnell worked for FOX affiliate WTTG from 1984 - 1991 and was never a FOX News Channel employee," FNC's statement said. While O'Donnell was a "Fox news producer," that title is misleading -- he was a 'news producer for Fox,' not a 'producer for Fox News.' Does that make sense? Anyway, O'Donnell calls himself a Murdoch lab rat:

"I was personally ordered by Murdoch aides to doctor previously legitimate newscasts to include right-wing Republican propadanga. In what was then the most-watched newscast in Washington, DC., no less!...Those of us who worked in news at WTTG-TV (the Washington, DC station that Murdoch acquired) in effect became laboratory rats for Murdoch's anti-journalism: blur the lines between news and entertainment, and adulterate legitimate newscasts by turning them into a vehicle for Republican propaganda."

...And I thought the worst thing about WTTG was the omnipresent promotion for SkyFox!
9:58:01 AM

"FOX News's Bizarre Take On All Things Canadian"
The director of a social institute writes about his "descent into Fox News's bizarre take on all things Canadian" in The Globe & Mail today. He appeared on John Kasich's weekend show "Heartland." "It was an interesting lesson in talking to the prickly and standoffish America that Fox News proudly champions," he says. "My five minutes flew by and I felt I was failing miserably to counteract the stereotype that all Canadians are Yankee-haters." More... 9:46:00 AM

Jeffrey Toobin, Profiled
Jon Friedman calls CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin "a journalist in the right places at the right time. You'd have to think hard to come up with practically any journalist, east of Iraq, who has a juicier beat nowadays," since a plethora of high-profile court cases are being covered by cable... 9:39:10 AM

Ron Reagan Wants To Host An MSNBC Talk Show
...And he believes he can fill a void. The Akron Beacon-Journal reports that "Reagan is hoping the MSNBC work [covering the conventions] will lead to a talk show on the cable network." "I think I'm pretty good at talking to people," Ron says. "There's room for that at MSNBC now." Reagan said he would like a show that "could step back a little bit and go off the news and...take a longer view of things. Charlie Rose does that," he said, "and Larry King does that to a certain extent. I think there's room for that at MSNBC." 11:01:45 PM

Ted Turner Gives CNN '04 The Thumbs-Up
Wolf Blitzer interviewed CNN founder Ted Turner today:

BLITZER: The world of cable news...has changed dramatically since 1980 when you started CNN. What do you make of the current state of it?
TURNER: Well, as I understand it, more people now get their news from cable than from -- their network news, anyway -- than they do from the broadcast networks and that is a big change and a very positive one for CNN.
BLITZER: Are you happy with the way CNN has evolved?...
TURNER: Well, quite frankly, Wolf, as you can imagine, I really miss it, miss it terribly but I think CNN generally is doing a very good job. I watch it all the time.

Here's the full transcript. 10:58:31 PM

Blitzer's Interview with CIA's McLaughlin Was A Secret
Wolf Blitzer interviewed acting CIA director John McLaughlin yesterday, and aired the exclusive half-hour chat on Wolf Blitzer Reports. It was publicized that afternoon, but until McLaughlin arrived at the studios, the "guest's identity" was kept a secret in CNN's D.C. bureau, a source says. Wolf bragged that for McLaughlin, the "exclusive television interview" was a "rare step of going public." The "guest" must have been uneasy about doing the interview...
5:57:56 PM

It Always Comes Back To 'Evil' "Media Consolidation," Doesn't It?
Eric Alterman on "Outfoxed:" Fox's distorted broadcasts are in some ways less worrisome in what they actually say than in what they represent. CNN, MSNBC and even to some degree, the broadcast networks have taken up the cause of flashy, content-light reporting, even aping much of Fox's conservative slant." And then the media consolidation rant begins: "With so much of what Americans see, read, and hear controlled by larger and less accountable multinational conglomerates, the underlying basis of a democratic exchange of ideas becomes a utopian fantasy..." 4:30:59 PM

CNN Press Release Round-Up
> CNN.com was "ranked as the No. 1 current events and global news destination for June 2004, according to Nielsen NetRatings’ Home/Work Study."
> "Chris Peacock...is joining CNN/Money.com as executive editor and vice president."
> "CNN en Español will begin its extensive weeklong coverage of the Democratic National Convention...on July 25. CNN en Español Senior Anchor Patricia Janiot will lead the network’s coverage from Boston."
> "CNN Presents" will air "Is Anybody Out There? The Search for Life in the Universe," hosted by Miles O'Brien, on August 8th. 11:42:16 AM

Media Notes: E.D. & Slim Fast; Laci's "Boat Scenario"
> Carl Cameron has the first sit-down one-on-one cable interview with Edwards since he became the VP nominee. It will air tonight at 6pm...
> So now that Slim Fast has fired Whoopi, will FOX's E.D. Hill end her protest? "They acted too slowly," she says in an e-mail. "I'm signed up for the Zone Chefs diet starting tomorrow. I have 10 pounds of baby weight to go. I hope Whoopi continues to be politically involved but trenchant commentary can be made with less vulgarity."
> The American Prospect has a round-up of the panel discussion held about the "Outfoxed" premiere Tuesday night. A webcast of the event is now online.
> "CourtTV, MSNBC and the Fox News Channel asked [a private investigator] to re-create the boat scenario from the Laci Peterson murder case," the Sun-Times reports. The segment airs this afternoon...
> Imus transcript: What other interviewer would ask Kerry or Edwards how much a six-pack of beer costs? 10:02:31 AM

Happy Birthday to MSNBC!

The network turns eight years old today. Reminiscing about the good ol' days:
> Screenshot: MSNBC.com's very first day on the 'net.
> Screen grabs: MSNBC's "internet correspondent" reporting a segment.
> Transcripts: What Internight and The News w/BW talked about on day one.
> "The Site:" Remember when the MS actually stood for something? (Plus, photos!) 9:54:34 AM

Anybody Else Sick Of This "Terrible Tiger Tale?"
This "tiger tragedy" is getting out of hand. From the Palm Beach Post: "Sipek appeared on national TV shows Wednesday, including all three morning shows on CBS, NBC and ABC and on cable networks Fox News and CNN. He even was scheduled to appear on the Jimmy Kimmel show at midnight on ABC, as well as Larry King Live on CNN. He talked to reporters in London, Germany and Sweden." On Countdown last night, Tarzan interrupted the interview so he could go feed one of his other tigers... 9:45:33 AM

No One Can Match FOX News, Tina Brown Says
Tina Brown's opinion of "Outfoxed:" "What the movie ignores is the real reason Fox has remained so popular: It's not the politics. It's the flair, stupid." And she says that "the problem with Fox News, therefore, is not Fox News. It's the others. It's that Roger Ailes's brilliant belligerence and formidable TV skills are not matched enough with reportorial testosterone and creativity elsewhere." More...
> Update: I hear that Tina was spotted at the exclusive MoveOn.Org party for "Outfoxed" at David Fenton's Greenwich Village apartment on Monday night, celebrating the release of the film. David is the head of Fenton Communications, the firm that has handled P.R. for the new docu... 8:13:55 AM

Imus's Kerry/Edwards Interview: "Only On MSNBC"
MSNBC is doing a great job promoting Thursday morning's Imus in the Morning radio interview with John Kerry and John Edwards. (It's set for 7:45am.) They put out a press release today, flashed graphics teasing the interview all throughout primetime, and have ran promos for the segment during many commercial breaks. But they are being superfluous: The interview is "only on MSNBC," the promos say. Now we all know that's simply not true... 11:09:14 PM

Harrigan: "A Good Blog Is A Punch In The Stomach"
...In addition to that comment, Broadcasting & Cable writes about the "handful of TV personalities who are committed bloggers." And most of them are from FOX. "The four Fox News blogs average about 50,000 hits per day," the story says. And it asks NBC's Kevin Sites why the weblogs are popular: "Readers want to share your adventure," he says. "What you see in the paper or on TV tends to be the cleaned-up version. I didn't tell you I had to sleep in the dirt to tell a story for TV." The story says Kevin's site averaged about 28,000 hits per day in June. That's surprising, since he only posted two items that month... (Hat tip: Lost Remote) 4:34:17 PM

"Outfoxed:" Korb Says He Tried To Bring "Real Journalism" To FOX
In an e-mail to CableNewser this afternoon, David Korb responds to Tuesday's report that Korb had positive, kind words to say about FOX three months before he criticized the network in "Outfoxed." (Three months ago, Korb called himself a "loyal worker" and he would miss being a "member of the FOX News team.") CableNewser obtained documents relating to his February termination yesterday. His response:

"Ouch! I and the other "ex-Foxies" in "Outfoxed" had been wondering how and when Roger Ailes would launch his campaign to 'attack and destroy' those of us who participated in the production. In fact I fully expected that the personal note I emailed to [a FOX senior editor] last February would be 're-surfaced' by Fox management. Fact is, too, I wrote to [him], in some measure with tongue in cheek, to convey "no hard feelings."
(Indeed, while [he] and I don't share the same idea of "Fair and Balanced" journalism, I hold many of my former colleagues at Fox in the highest regard. Overall, they're a great bunch, and yes, I did look forward to working with them every day, and to the opportunity to try to bring some real journalism, fair and balanced, to Fox. Alas, a futile effort.) I never had any expectation of returning to Fox. I surely would not have done so. And I thought Gaffney would get the thinly veiled joke...
Attitude problem? Well, sure. I've been in the news business for more than 30 years, and I'd never seen anything quite like Fox. My commitment to traditional Journalistic principles occasionally did put me at odds with producers, who instructed writers to stay away from mention of dead American soldiers and Iraqi civilians and to keep the war coverage up-beat. Sorry for any headaches I might've caused, but while at Fox, my goal was to play it straight: I wrote, they decided how to rewrite...
Fox's attack is pretty transparent. It proves a central theme of "Outfoxed," that Ailes rules the newsroom by threat, intimidation, and bullying.

"In an odd sort of way," Korb said, "I'm flattered by the attack." He concluded by calling "Outfoxed" an important film, and stating that FOX produces a "cynical and arrogant parody of journalism." 4:13:24 PM

Media Notes: "First Kids" On DNT; E.D. Slim Fast Protest
> Eric Shawn says attending the Outfoxed press conference was "uncomfortable." His impression of the film: "It’s unfair, it’s slanted and it’s a hit job," he added. "And I haven’t even seen it yet."The NY Observer has more.
> Deborah Norville will interview former "first kids" Steven Ford, Eleanor Mondale and Chip Carter tonight. (Press Release)
> A Nevada rancher was interviewed by MSNBC's Chris Jansing today: "I was hauling hay with a machine and they had never seen that before," he tells the local newspaper.
> E.D. Hill eats her politics: "I've been on the South Beach diet, trying to lose the latest baby weight, but had been subbing in Slim Fast bars in the morning on occasion. THEN Brian announces Whoppi Goldberg is the spokesperson for the company. I can't support her after listening to that obscene, foul-language-filled rant at the Kerry fundraiser, so that means I had to toss the Slim Fast bar." 3:38:58 PM

UPDATE: Playgirl Poll Results Not Final
Apparently the results of the Playgirl poll for the "sexiest, most intelligent newscaster" are not in, after all. CableNewser hears that the poll results reported by Newsblues.com are incorrect. The sources reported that Sean Hannity came in first, and Anderson Cooper placed second. That is not accurate, says Michele Zipp, the Editor in Chief of Playgirl Magazine. CableNewser hears the magazine will not comment on the results of the poll until they are officially released on September 13th... (This story replaces the one posted at 1:45pm.) 3:00:24 PM

Convention Plans: Comparing MSNBC.com's 2000 and 2004 Coverage
MSNBC.com has put out a press release detailing their convention coverage plans. Most notable is what's not listed: During the 2000 conventions, MSNBC.com aired a twice-daily webcast called "PoliticsOnly!," anchored by John Seigenthaler. And for several hours each evening, John Hockenberry and John Gibson anchored live coverage exclusively for MSNBC.com. (Here is the P.R. from four years ago.) Perhaps the site has matured now, and realized that they shouldn't steal viewers from their sister channel... 1:44:33 PM

Poor Johnny: Only 54,000 Households Tune In Monday
John McEnroe's new CNBC show was seen by only 54,000 households on Monday night. That's a 0.1 -- barely. "Has CNBC replaced MSNBC as GE's new embarrassment?," an industry source asked Drudge. "CNBC's daytime average yesterday was just 123,000 viewers and primetime was a skimpy 98,000 viewers." The Wash Post puts the #'s in context: "In its first four airings, the daily talk show has averaged 146,000 viewers, which is down nearly 40 percent from what 'The News' was drawing in the same time period last year." Rubbing salt in the wound: "One insider that works on the show tells FTVLive he is already sending out his resume and looking for another gig." 1:17:08 PM

From Kerry's Lips To Bush's Aides To Media's Reporting
Shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday, John Kerry said he was "proud" of his vote against the president's requested $87 billion war appropriation. And the Bush war room swung into action. "Within an hour or so, Mr. Bush's team...had sent a release via e-mail to hundreds of journalists, supporters and campaign surrogates," the NYT says. A deputy comm. dir. "began calling reporters who were with Kerry in Boston," the LA Times says, and "shortly after 3 p.m., Carl Cameron on Fox News was the first to report on Kerry's remarks."
The next morning, the message sent by the war room appeared in the New York Times, as well as in USA Today, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and Associated Press. "Several journalists who cover Mr. Kerry later said they were too embarrassed to say publicly that it took the Bush operatives to spot what was notable in Mr. Kerry's remarks," the LAT writes. Both stories are must reads... 1:14:40 PM

Exclusive: Challenging Republicans "Is Not The FOX Way"

"To suggest that the on-air talent and producers are free to report the news as they see fit is disingenuous at best," an anonymous employee says.

In an e-mail to CableNewser, a "relatively senior person" at FOX News asserts there are serious problems with the editorial slant of the network. The person has requested to stay anonymous. Excerpts from the e-mail:

"There are many talented, hard-working people at FNC. Their politics span the spectrum, just as you might expect at any workplace. Everyone's different.

...Let me say for the record that all the prime time shows are NOT straight news programs. These are all host-driven shows, and no matter the politics espoused, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with them. Hosts have opinions and are free to express them...

The real problem at FNC is the straight news coverage where politics are concerned. FNC always touts the fact that they have lots of Democrats on the network. That's true. But, and this is a huge BUT, Democrats are consistently challenged by the anchors of the daytime news shows, while Republicans are almost always given a pass in the form of a softball interview. That's fair?

The true journalists here, be them on-air or news gatherers, want EVERYONE challenged, not just Democrats. But that's not the Fox News way.

I can't stress how important that distinction is in news reporting. David Asman does it, Jon Scott does it, Linda Vester does it, and on, and on, and on. Let the GOP off easy, and pound the Democrat du jour. And let me ask, can anyone on this planet say with a straight face that "Fox and Friends" is anything but a Pro-Bush/Anti-Kerry show Seriously!"

The employee, who has been with the network since it premiered, said many of the people who work there are happy with their jobs. "People here take pride in their work, no matter the politics. But that doesn't mean for a second that the majority of FNC'ers (whom I don't presume to speak for) buy into the editorial slant. Obviously there are those that do, and I know many who don't."

"Maybe all of us who do disagree with how news is presented here at FNC should stand on principle and leave. Some high profile people have. Catherine Crier, a Republican judge, no less, couldn't stand the fact that management wanted her to keep pounding on the Monica Lewinsky story night after night on her show. She couldn't take it anymore, and found another home.

I read with interest the comments made by John Moody about people being free to email and/or call him about things they might disagree with. Let's be clear here. What John Moody says is the gospel here. There's no real dissent. He knows better than to suggest otherwise. FNC isn't run as a democracy, nor should it be. But to suggest that the on-air talent and producers are free to report the news as they see fit is disingenuous at best.

Finally, one of the things the rank and file absolutely cringe at is the way ex-employees or any detractors of FNC are treated by management. Nothing short of scorched-earth will do as far as slamming these individuals. It's really disgusting, and embarrassing for all of us. That can be laid right at Ailes' doorstep. He sets the tone for that kind of nonsense."

9:42:21 AM

"Outfoxed:" I Hope This Is The Last Edition Of Media Notes
> The film is now ranked #1 on Amazon.com's DVD sales chart
> Wonkette has posted all 33 internal FOX memos. Media Matters has excerpts.
> The film says that FOX is "misinforming the public by veering to the right." John Gibson's response: "I'd like you to look over my show. Clinton administration folks wouldn't have anything to do if they weren't coming on my show nearly every day. We put libs on by the car load, and they get to say their peace." (Monday's My Word)
> A great rant from Lost Remote's Steve Safran: "The beauty of our multi-channel world is that there is room for news of all sorts. You want it with a liberal slant? You can find it. You only want flag waving? It's there, too. In fact, I would argue that this split in news is good for us. Purists - hear me out." 9:39:05 AM

Media Notes: "America's Watching;" Cooper Oblivious To Playgirl Poll
> MSNBC.com's TV page quotes the new promo: "When our nation faces a critical choice, or when the world is rocked by winds of change, America's Watching MSNBC." It's almost like the channel is trying to convince itself: "People are watching! People are watching!"
> People ARE watching MSNBC.com's video clips. The site "believes advertising on its video clips will be a significant contributor to sales over the next 12 months." CBS Marketwatch has more, including an interview with Charlie Tillinghast...
> David Cole describes his O'Reilly encounter in The Nation: "[O'Reilly] said I would 'never ever' be on his show again. At this point, I wasn't sure whether to take that as a threat or a promise."
> NewsBlues reports Anderson Cooper's reaction to finishing second to Sean Hannity in Playgirl's poll: "'Did Playgirl have a poll?' he replied, seemingly oblivious. 'I was in Iraq.'" 9:35:08 AM

Larry King & Michael Moore: What Went Wrong?
I bet Bill O'Reilly and Joe Scarborough and jealous of this: "Did Larry King chicken out of an interview with Michael Moore? King's CNN producers were negotiating to have the "Fahrenheit 9/11" director appear on the prime-time talk show...Then Moore's people never heard from King's people again." Check out the full story in the NY Daily News. (Via Romenesko) 8:28:31 AM

Convention Plans: "Feast Or Famine"
A clever convention coverage lead in the Wash. Times: Television coverage of the upcoming political conventions either will be feast or famine. When the parties gather separately for four days of speechifying and hoopla, cable news channels will present a veritable banquet for viewers for days on end. Broadcast networks, however, will offer just an appetizer: an hour each day from 10 to 11 p.m." CNN senior poli-producer Sam Feist says: "It's a big story. Conventions are still interesting for people who closely follow politics...And this is cable. We don't need 100 million people watching to feel we have a strong audience." 8:26:29 AM

Matthews: "There Was Never A Serious, Honest Debate" About War
Chris Matthews on the Iraq war, speaking at the TV press tour: "The facts were all wrong, but they were not debated," he said. "And when we got into the war, we got emotionally embedded, as well as journalistically embedded. You're fighting a war. You're on America's side. There wasn't going to be a debate during the fighting...And after the war, the period of this war, there's been an attitude of 'Let's move on.' ... There was never a serious, honest, open debate where you were allowed to express opinions." 8:22:25 AM

"Outfoxed:" "The Republicans Write Copy For" FOX, MoveOn Prez Says
MoveOn just fired another shot in this battle over "Outfoxed." This press release "cites the nearly identical language used by Fox News Channel and the Bush/Cheney campaign in the cable network's attempt to discredit sponsors of [the] documentary." Wes Boyd offers up a great quote: "If you put their statements side by side, the conclusion is inescapable: The Republicans write copy for the Fox News Channel...The premise of the film is that Fox is a Republican Party mouthpiece. Fox's response to this criticism is taken right from the Bush campaign's manager." Decide for yourself: Here are the quotes. 7:12:13 PM

"Outfoxed:" FOX Airs News Report About Film
During 'Special Report' tonight, FOX correspondent Eric Shawn dissected "Outfoxed" and refutted some of the film's arguments. "The film takes on the channel with a vengeance, but is IT fair and honest?," Eric Shawn asked. He referenced the links to MoveOn and "former Clinton chief of staff" John Podesta. Ironically, the package aired excerpts from the documentary, including the O'Reilly "shut up" bit, then said Greenwald recorded the clips without permission. Shawn said the film "includes examples of what Greenwald claims is biased reporting, but clearly leaves out facts that would prove otherwise."

SHAWN: For example, in this clip, political reporter Carl Cameron is shown saying this:
CAMERON: If you want to destroy jobs in this country, you raise taxes.
SHAWN: But Greenwald edits out the fact that Cameron was not giving his own view, but quoting Commerce Secretary Don Evans.

Shawn concluded: "[There is no word] of any plans to give any other media organizations the same treatment." 7:10:45 PM

Exclusive: Korb "Looked Forward To Every Day At FOX"
David Korb called himself a "loyal, respectful worker" who had "a lot more to give" to FOX News Channel -- just three months before the freelance writer criticized the network in the film "Outfoxed."
CableNewser has obtained three e-mails relating to Korb's termination. In an e-mail sent on March 1, 2004, Korb appealed his termination to an executive producer at FOX News. "I want you to know that I will greatly miss being a member of the Fox News team," Korb wrote, and asked if an appeal would be considered. "I've got a lot more to give to FNC," he said. "You won't find a more loyal, respectful worker on the planet."
A second e-mail, dated February 23, 2004, is a message from a FOX producer to a vice president describing Korb's performance. "This is the writer who probably causes me more headaches than any other," the producer wrote. Another e-mail, sent by a copy editor four days later, said he was careless and had an attitude problem.
Both of the job performance e-mails suggest that Korb was 'incompetent and lazy.' The copy editor complained about his writing. "We're live in Jerusalem where 10 people are dead" was one inappropriate example, the staff member said.
Korb was one of four former employees to speak at the press conference yesterday. According to his biography, "he has done freelance work for dozens of television stations and television news programs in New York City and San Francisco," and is also "an independent producer and director of documentary films." Korb has yet to reply to an e-mail request for comment...
> UPDATE: Korb's reponse 5:14:40 PM

"Outfoxed:" Film Premiering Tonight; #2 on Amazon.com
> The film will be premiered at 6:30pm in the Tishman Auditorium at NYC's New School University. A panel discussion is taking place right now...
> Outfoxed is ranked #2 in terms of DVD sales on Amazon.com. "I'm floored," an e-mailer says. "Yesterday it was #22."
> The MoveOn house parties are waiting for participants: 2,830 gatherings are planned for Sunday night, so far...
> FOXNews.com
has posted an AP story about "Outfoxed," along with the network's response and the document identifying employer inaccuracies. 5:10:53 PM

"Outfoxed:" Disinformation Company To Release DVD
First on CableNewser: Quoting an announcement that will be released to the media this evening: "The Disinformation Company has acquired exclusive home video rights to Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, directed by Robert Greenwald...The film is available on DVD immediately via distributor Ryko Distribution." The company released Greenwald's last film, "Uncovered," as well. 5:10:35 PM

Inside ABC's "Digital Broadcast" Experiment
Only on CableNewser: ABC's plan to offer a 24-hour feed of news programming for their affiliate's digital signals, announced yesterday at the Summer TV Press Tour, came as a bit of a surprise. ABC has flirted with the notion of its own cable news outlet in the past, so CableNewser asked John Cook, a staff reporter for the Chicago Tribune, if this was a step in that direction.
"It's really a new digital broadcast network," Cook said, not a cable news channel. "But it will seem like a new digital cable offering to the vast majority of folks who get it," he explained, because "the majority of folks who get it will get it via cable."
"Almost no one has a digital tuner, which would be required if you want to get it over the air," Cook continued. "But plenty of folks subscribe to digital cable, and in those markets where the cable operators have agreed to retransmit the digital spectrum, folks with regular TVs and digital cable will be able to see it. New Yorkers, for instance, will definitely be able to get it on their digital cable. In Chicago, though, since Comcast hasn't agreed to retransmit the digital spectrum broadcast, it will only be available over the air."
Cook attended Monday's press conference and wrote about it in the Tribune this morning. He said the media seemed pretty interested in the news. "[There were] a lot of questions about how it would work," he said.
The digital feed will commence during the Democratic National Convention, and continue through election day. "This is really dipping our toe in the water," [ABC News prez David] Westin told the press corps.
"From talking to Westin, it definitely sounds like it might continue," Cook said in an e-mail. "He was very clear that this was an intitial foray into how to use the digital spectrum, and that something like this will be in the future for ABC News." 3:41:46 PM

Independents Like MSNBC & Republicans Like NBC, Study Concludes
Independents are more likely to watch MSNBC than the general public is, a new media usage study by Scarborough Research says. Quoting the press release:

"With respect to the big three cable all-news networks, Independents are about average with consumers for viewership of CNN and Fox News. However, they are 10 percent more likely than all consumers to have tuned into MSNBC. Not surprisingly, Democrats are 12 percent less likely to have watched Fox News but Republicans are 33 percent more likely than all consumers to have done so."

Broadcasting & Cable has other details, including the fact that "self-proclaimed" Republicans are more likely to watch "NBC's evening news than the average viewer." (Hat tip: Lost Remote) 2:38:25 PM

Rehberger To Anchor MSNBC Primetime News Updates
MSNBC has named Milissa Rehberger the anchor for its primetime news updates. Since December, Rehberger has served as a freelance anchor and reporter for the network. She will replace Christy Musumeci, whose contract was not renewed this summer. Here's the press release. 2:13:25 PM

bin Laden Aide Surrenders: CNN Crushing The Competition
CNN's coverage of the surrender of a bin Laden aide has left its competitors in the dust this afternoon. CNN producer Caroline Faraj first reported the news via videophone from Dubai, a viewer says. Nic Robertson followed up with analysis from London. A CNN source attributes it to the network's international dominance. "Fox [is] nowhere near it," they said. Al Arabiya broke the news around noon ET but by 1pm, CNN.com was still the only news web site with the story. FOXNews.com didn't post it as "breaking news" until 1:25pm. 1:30:18 PM

Media Treats Bush Worse Than Kerry, Study Says
During the Grapevine on Special Report last night, Brian Wilson [in for Brit Hume] referenced a new PEJ study on media coverage. The last four months of coverage has, been, Wilson said, "substantially more focused on, and mostly negative toward, President Bush. The study shows that 56 percent of media coverage has described President Bush as either arrogant or lacking credibility. By contrast, John Kerry has been described negatively nearly half as much." Here's more.
> "This is a prime example of Fox cherry-picking their source information," an e-mailer says. "If you're going to use Fox talking points, could you at least check the source out and find out what it REALLY says??" So here's a link to the full study. 12:18:27 PM

"Outfoxed:" Film's Financial Backer Accuses FOX Of Distorting Facts
The liberal org Center for American Progress has released documents citing comments from FOX reporters and pundits, accusing them of "distorting the facts." "On everything from Enron, to tax cuts, to national security, Fox News has used its reporters, anchormen and pundits to parrot the Bush administration's right-wing policies as if they were conventional wisdom or fact," today's press release says. And a document released alongside Monday's press conference says that "correspondents and anchor people now regularly try to spin Kerry and Edwards as fabulously rich member of an out-of-touch elite, deliberately trying to obscure their political agenda by claiming criticism is comes not from them, but from a source." Here is the Word document. 12:17:30 PM

Convention Plans: Compared To '00, FOX Ups Coverage About A Third
The majority of FOX News programming will originate from Boston the week of the Democratic National Convention, the network announced today. Brit Hume will be the lead anchor. "Special live programming from Boston" will appear on FOX & Friends, Studio B, Your World, Special Report, FOX Report, The O'Reilly Factor, Hannity & Colmes, and On The Record, a press release said. The program schedule will not change, though. FOX is increasing its coverage by "about a third" since 2000, the AP reported yesterday.
> On Sunday, July 25, from 9 to 10pm, Brit Hume will anchor a one-hour primetime special, "You Decide 2004: The Democratic National Convention." Weekend Live, Beltway Boys and FOX News Sunday will also offer on-site convention coverage.
> The network will air more than 40 hours of live coverage from Boston, a FOX spokesperson says. 10:48:55 AM

Media Notes: John Elliott's Out; FOX Reality Channel
> John Elliott is heading west. This morning the quirky anchor told MSNBC viewers it is his last day; he will be the morning weather anchor for KCBS in Los Angeles...
> "MSNBC.com is thinking of customizing news by time zones," this AP story mentions.
> Al Franken is going to stop calling his radio show "The O'Franken Factor," because "no matter how hard we tried, Bill O'Reilly wouldn't sue us." (AP via I Want Media)
> Could this be the new FOX channel that was rumored about? The "FOX Reality Channel" is set to debut in the first quarter of 2005, Hollywood Reporter says.
> Chris Matthews will appear on Jay Leno tonight. 10:11:25 AM

"Outfoxed:" Cavuto, O'Reilly, Scarborough Criticize Film
> Neil Cavuto talked to Mike Paul and Jackson Bain about it, and asked for reader comments. A viewer named Jonathan wrote to Cavuto, and copied CableNewser: "Kudos...for not only addressing the movie Outfoxed, but looking at both sides of the issue, as Fox News has always done," he said.
> John Gibson announced FOX's challenge on The Big Story yesterday, and showed a clip from the press conference.
> Bill O'Reilly mentioned the movie indirectly while chatting with Newt Gingrich. "The attacks on this network are growing increasingly dishonest, and our opponents at the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, just pick up and run with this stuff."
> Over on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough lashed out at the film. He called it a "hit job," and criticized the NYT for "cutting a deal to help promote the film. He pointed out the memos that the movie omitted and read several of them," an e-mailer said. 9:58:23 AM

"Outfoxed:" Media Notes: The Storm Is Passing
> "The news conference drew a standing room only crowd of national media, including a number of Fox reporters and cameras," Mike James reports.
> Gawker has a more sarcastic version of events. "The verdict? Fox really, really wants Bush to win...but did you really need a $300K film to tell you this?"
> The Balt. Sun references this site's memo excerpts, and quotes John Moody: "We pay [journalists] to think for themselves, but there has to be a unifying theme to our coverage. A network has to look and sound approximately the same to viewers throughout the day."
> Quoting the Washington Times: "Rich Noyes, research director for the Media Research Center, accused those responsible for 'Outfoxed' of apparently 'taking some quotes out of context' and of stringing together information 'to make a partisan point,' rather than fact-finding."
> The best one-liner in the movie comes from Dave Korb, a former FOX freelancer: "Now that I've learned comedy writing at FOX News Channel, I guess I should be doing stand-up in the clubs." 9:47:58 AM

"Outfoxed:" The Film's First Review

First on CableNewser: Robert Greenwald effectively slices and dices FOX's own words and images, then serves it on a "conservative bias" plate in the new documentary "Outfoxed." Many viewers won't look at the infamous slogan the same way again. But the movie never ties the messages together, or declares its own bias.

To a casual viewer, the montages of clips pulled off the FOX air may be the most persuasive and compelling. One series of convincing images demonstrates the tendency for anchors to suggest that "some people say" a particular point of view, thus giving it credibility. But how frequently does this occur on a daily basis? When taken out of context and transformed into a two second clip, the jokes, asides and off-the-cuff remarks of FOX anchors become a seemingly "evil" force. Another rapid-fire series of clips implies that FOX is anti-Kerry. (The movie doesn't mention that the network strives to air equal amounts of speeches from Bush and Kerry.)

Indeed, it's the unauthorized video clips that make the movie stand out. Sean Hannity's arrogant countdown "until Bush is re-elected" is used as a transition between segments. So is a FOX promo declaring the network's "fair and balanced" approach.

The film is most scathing toward Bill O'Reilly. (Hannity comes in a distant second.) O'Reilly is shown stating that he has only told a guest to "shut up" once, then he is heard using the phrase six times.

The film begins by criticizing News Corp head Rupert Murdoch. In front of an illustration of planet earth, a graphic notes that Murdoch's "total audience" is 4.7 billion people. Two former employees of Fox affiliate WTTG describe episodes where Murdoch allegedly injected his own bias into the news reports.

The comments from former FOX employees are very interesting, as long as viewers keep in mind that these interviewees clearly have an ax to grind. Former FOXer Larry Johnson tells the camera that FOX is "very much an environment of fear," but I was left wondering: why do a thousand people work there, seemingly satisfied with their jobs?

Some of the points expressed in the film are more valid than others. Greenwald airs snippets from the "How To Save Your Life" series. (I criticized it in March.) "Many of the themes that are promoted on the FNC have to do with generating fear," David Brock says, and the argument seems to stick. Greenwald never points out that almost all of the subjects interviewed in the piece are liberals though. (Brock, for instance, is in charge of the liberal org Media Matters.)

The conclusion, titled "A Call To Action," is the only disappointing segment. I expected it to be the most powerful; but it seems Greenwald saved his best comments (FOX is a Republican network, it's an opinion channel, etc.) for the media interviews. It almost feels like a different film, as the dangers of media consolidation are described.

I came away from "Outfoxed" feeling the same way I did about "Fahrenheit 9/11:" I wish another filmmaker would produce a conservative counterweight. In the end, there are not many groundbreaking moments in "Outfoxed." This debate has been raging since 1996, and this movie merely offers more ammunition. 12:01:15 AM

Ron Reagan: Democratic Convention Speaker, MSNBC Contributor
MSNBC contributor Ron Reagan will continue to co-host the network's "Convention After Hours" program with Joe Scarborough during the political conventions, despite his planned speech at the Democratic convention in two weeks, Ed Bark reports. On FOX's 'Special Report,' the Washington Post columnist Jeff Birnbaum said that "MSNBC should re-think" the decision to let him anchor, an e-mailer points out...
> Chris Matthews interviewed Ron Reagan exclusively (again) on Hardball tonight 10:10:06 PM

Media Notes: FOX-Less Edition!
> Chris Matthews was trotted out at the Summer TV Press Tour in L.A. Sunday morning. The Wash Post tries to quote him. (Plus: Matthews says the election won't be close.)
> Hardball producer Dominic Bellone married pollster/former MSNBC strategist Alexandra Bratty on Friday, The National Debate says.
> Starting this evening, CNBC's 'Capital Report' expands to five nights a week. On Monday night, it is replacing Maria Bartiromo's 'Special Report.' It airs 7 to 8pm Monday through Thursday -- on Friday, it will conclude at 7:30pm, as 'Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street' is moving into the 7:30pm time slot.
> Screen capture: Where exactly was Bill Clinton being interviewed? 10:04:35 PM

"Outfoxed:" Media Notes: Other Sources Of Coverage
> The public radio show Marketplace had a report on the film. [Correction: It's produced by APR, not NPR.]
> Elizabeth Jensen hands in a long story for the L.A. Times
> Conservative site NewsMax calls the film a "Hollywood assault on [FNC]."
> Variety's lead: "First there was Bush-bashing. Now there's Fox-flaming."
> "Little new ground was broken in the criticisms lodged in the clips and the comments made at the press conference," TV Week says. The story mentions that FOX's Eric Shawn attended the event. 9:49:12 PM

"Outfoxed:" FOX Supporters & Critics Dissect Film's Arguments
The memo excerpts and FOX statement published on this site today quickly became fodder for message boards. A MediaLine chatter calls FOX's response a "nondenial." "Outfoxed, indeed!," another participant posts. FOX [doesn't] deny accusations in response" is the headline on this TVSpy post. Unsurprisingly, this post on an MSN group for Fox fans supports the network. "All the other memos that Cablenewser had look perfectly fine to me as well," one person says. "This documentary sounds like one Michael Moore would be proud of."
> My favorite comment came from TVHeads today: "Hey, if someone wants to foot my bill/income for a year, I'll gladly take a crack at exposing CNN for the sham of a news operation it has become. No editing tricks required, you can "trust" me on that. All I'd have to do is watch about 15 minutes of CNN programming daily for a few weeks, and I'd have more than enough material. The tough part would be deciding what should be "left" out." 9:48:33 PM

"Outfoxed:" AP, Reuters Publish Stories About Film
Stories about "Outfoxed" just hit the Associated Press and Reuters wires. (We'll see how widely they get picked up.)
> An excerpt from the Reuters piece: "David Korb, a former freelance writer for Fox, told a news conference that when things were going badly for U.S. troops in Iraq, a senior Fox producer laid down instructions to the writers." Korb repeated what the producer allegedly said: "Remember when you're writing about this, it's all good. Don't write about the number of dead, or about troops being under fire or under attack. Keep it positive. Emphasize all the good we're doing, like rebuilding schools and bringing democracy. Yoo-hoo for us! It's big progress." 7:55:16 PM

"Outfoxed:" Press Conference: Audio Clip, Photos, Details
Audio Clip:
CableNewser has obtained a ten minute audio clip from today's "Outfoxed" press conference in New York City. Robert Greenwald and Eric Alterman are interviewed by various members of the media in the clip. "I'm sure that there must be a significant portion of FOX's audience that doesn't know [the channel] is an ideological project," Greenwald said. "The more people that know, the better."
> Audio: "Outfoxed" press conference (WAV)

AP Photographs:
The Associated Press wire has several photos from the press conference this afternoon:
> Former FOX employees watch video clip
> Greenwald and former FOX employees
> Clara Frenk speaking
> Robert Greenwald listening
> Another Greenwald photo
(Via Yahoo! News)

Other Details:
> "The room was packed," one participant says. The room was teeming with media orgs.
> CNN's Deborah Feyerick was among the reporters who interviewed Greenwald. Her report should be very interesting...
> The biographies of the press conf. participants: Word document
> Quoting Editor & Publisher: It "got a bit heated during the Q&A; when a current employee of Fox said that over 15 years at the network he had never experienced intimidation or been threatened. 'That's wonderful news,' Greenwald replied. 'But these folks had it.'" 7:03:15 PM

"Outfoxed:" Gilliam Says FOX Uses "Fear And Intimidation"
In an e-mail to CableNewser today, "Outfoxed" co-producer Jim Gilliam responded to FOX's statement: "Today, Fox News perfectly illustrated their signature tactics of fear and intimidation, the same tactics that are thoroughly documented in Outfoxed. They're experts at it because they learned from a master -- Roger Ailes."
He also explained why the memos were put online this morning, only to be removed an hour later. "Our confusion this morning...stems from the copyright problem we struggled with in the movie from the get go," he said. "We are very confident that we can legally use the excerpted clips in the movie, but we (obviously) weren't as confident with publishing the full text of the memos on the website. Excerpts are okay, but publishing the full text is much murkier." (His emphasis.) 7:01:22 PM

"Outfoxed:" FOX Points Out Film Material Inaccuracies
In a document entitled "The Facts About FOX Employees Featured in Outfoxed," the network noted pointed out several "factually incorrect" statements in the film.
> On Outfoxed.org, Alexander Kippen and Frank O'Donnell are both described as “former Fox News producers." Actually, they worked for FOX affiliate WTTG. (FOX affils are separate entities from FNC.)
> Jon Du Pre was hired as a "reporter," not an "anchor" as the web site says. FOX's statement pointed out that his contract was not renewed because he was a "weak field correspondent and could not do live shots."
> Clara Frenk was a "pool booker," not a "producer," the network says. (Frenk responded at today's press conference, E&P; says.) 4:46:19 PM

"Outfoxed:" FOX Calls Infringement "Unprecedented;" Issues "Challenge"
What follows is a statement released by FOX News today:

"Any news organization that thinks this story is legitimate is opening itself to having its copyrighted material taken out of context for partisan reasons. The illegal copyright infringement actions of moveon.org in cooperation with the New York Times, including “cutting a deal” not to give Fox News Channel adequate time to react, is unprecedented. The New York Times, in taking orders from a George Soros-funded website, Soros, a left-wing billionaire currency speculator who funds many liberal efforts, corrupts the journalistic process. This is the real story. If any news organizations decide to make this an anti-Fox News story, then all of their material becomes fodder immediately for possible out of context and biased documentaries."
"The former low level Fox employees are hardly worth addressing. Some of the “sources” for this documentary never worked for Fox News Channel. Some left because of incompetence, and none expressed concern about editorial policy while employees. They represent fewer than 10 employees out of 2,000 over 8 years. Any news organization that believes this story is big and Fox News Channel is a problem, will be challenged by Fox News Channel in the following manner:"
"If they will put out 100% of their editorial directions and internal memos, Fox News Channel will publish 100% of our editorial directions and internal memos, and let the public decide who is fair. This includes any legitimate cable news network, broadcast network, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post."

4:12:18 PM

Convention Plans: CNN Announces Special Programs, Schedule Changes
CNN will promote "two weeks of special programming" for the Democratic National Convention, beginning Monday, July 19, the network announced today. Wolf Blitzer and Judy Woodruff will anchor CNN primetime coverage. "More than 30 anchors, correspondents and analysts [will contribute] to the network's coverage," the press release says. CNN's primetime schedule for Monday, July 26 to Thursday, July 29:
7pm: 360: Special Convention Edition
8pm: America Votes 2004
11pm: NewsNight with Aaron Brown (from NYC)
12am: Larry King Live
Repeats will begin at 1am. American Morning, Inside Politics, Crossfire, Wolf Blitzer Reports, Anderson Cooper 360 and Larry King Live will air live from Boston. In addition, CNN has announced several related programming changes:
> CNN Presents: "John Kerry: Born To Run" will air on Sunday, July 25
> Inside Politics and Crossfire will air live from the CNN Election Express bus, which will begin in Concord, N.H. in July 19 and set up around Boston.
> Inside Politics will be "expanded" to a 90-minute version the week of the 26th
> Paula Zahn will host a "town hall meeting" in a swing state (Air date TBA)
> CNN.com will have a "convention blog," among other features
> CNN International coverage will be hosted by Jonathan Mann 3:42:47 PM

Convention Plans: ABC Offering Broadband & Digital Feeds
ABC News will offer "gavel to gavel" coverage of the conventions anchored by Peter Jennings on its "24/7 streaming news channel" ABC News Live and its "digital television signal" for affiliates, the network announced today. Three hours of each convention will air in prime-time on ABC. "ABC News is delivering old fashioned gavel-to-gavel coverage in a new way, with a new medium," ABC News president David Westin said. It will serve as the "centerpiece" for a 14-week programming venture leading to election night. All ten of ABC's owned stations will air the ABC News Live digital signal through November 2. It's complicated; here is the press release. 3:40:09 PM

Media Notes: McEnroe Mentions; FOX Satellite Feed Fumble
> Jacques Steinberg recounts Will Ferrell's visit to CNBC (courtesy of John McEnroe) and suggests it was "treading on the thin line between TV news and show business."
> On Reliable Sources Sunday, Howard Kurtz mentioned John McEnroe's new show on CNBC: "McEnroe did have an interview with Ralph Nader, but the presidential candidate had to follow Metallica."
> NewsBlues reports that "CNN's Soledad O'Brien will be off the air now until mid-October as she needs to be off her feet (her twins are due at the end of August)."
> Greta explains how 'On The Record' is "stacked"
> Many viewers reported a FOX News outage around 11am this morning. "The main satellite feed was dead," an e-mailer said. "This feed on Galaxy 7, Transponder 18 is used my most every cable company in the country." DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers were also affected.
> FOX's daytime has a spiffy new introductory graphics package. Take a look: FOX News Live Intro (WMV) 3:13:19 PM

NBC Financial Contributors To Appear On MSNBC's "Marketwrap"
MSNBC sent out a press release today hyping the new "CNBC Marketwrap" program, which premieres today at 4pm. "Timed to coincide with the Wall Street closing bell each day, [Ron] Insana will review the day's financial news. NBC News financial contributors Terri Cullen and Jonathan Clements will also share their financial expertise." Mark Effron says "Ron is a strong addition to MSNBC's afternoon schedule," said Effron. "He is without peer in the world of business news..." (Press release) 3:08:22 PM

"Outfoxed:" ...And Then The Memos Were Removed
By 12:15pm ET -- only an hour after they went online -- the internal FOX memos obtained by the "Outfoxed" producers were removed from Outfoxed.org. "There was some confusion as to whether we are allowed to publish the full text on the website without permission," a source tells CableNewser. "We are happy to provide here the full text of the 33 memos if Fox will give us permission," the page now says...
> "Johnny Dollar" notices the change, and
laughs: "The entire movie is an act of thievery--all the Fox footage therein was stolen without permission." 2:49:16 PM

"Outfoxed:" Thirty-Three Internal Memos Released
Only on CableNewser: An initial analysis of the 33 internal FOX memos released on the "Outfoxed" web site suggests they are not as "damning" as some people have suggested. Here are the "highlights," grouped into three categories:

Some of the statements in the memos are questionable:
> 6/3/03: "The national forest as pot field story is pure Fox."
> 4/4/04: Fallujah: "We will cover this hour by hour today, explaining repeatedly why it is happening. It won't be long before some people start to decry the use of 'excessive force.' We won't be among that group."
> 04/28/04: "Let's refer to the US marines we see in the foreground as "sharpshooters" not snipers, which carries a negative connotation."

But the memos also show a news organization committed to ferreting out facts, answering questions for viewers and getting the story straight.
> 3/18/03: "Resist the urge to make any assumption about the potential Al Zawahiri story. Pakistani reports are often confused, especially when they come to us secondhand. Report only what we know and attribute it."
> 04/08/04: "A battle is more than a macabre statistics report."
> 04/21/04: "If Michael Jackson is indicted on sex charges, it's a big story for us, but PLEASE don't turn it into a nonstop circus."
> 04/28/04: "Do not ignore the Oil for Food story, please. Fox News is making steady progress in investigating what could be, without exaggeration, the biggest ripoff of all time."

And the memos also offer insight into FOX's operating procedures:
> 05/03/04: "We are all so used to using the AP wires that their (temporary) absence today provides not just a challenge, but an opportunity. Check websites (including AP) and pay special attention to the urgent queue until AP service is restored. But use the outage to check just how much we rely on one service, and figure out alternatives."
>03/26/04: "We have competing speeches from the candidates for president...We'll take whichever one starts first, time how long we stay with it, then give the same time to the other."
> 03/24/04: "For everyone's information, the hotel where our Baghdad bureau is housed was hit by some kind of explosive device overnight. ALL FOX PERSONNEL ARE OK...Please offer a prayer of thanks for their safety to whatever God you revere (and let the ACLU stick it where the sun don't shine)." 11:47:01 AM

Video Clips Of "America's Watching MSNBC" Campaign
A new ad campaign premiered for MSNBC this morning. "America's Watching MSNBC" features a promo voiced by Tom Selleck. The spots are airing at the half-hour during the day. "Notice the campaign doesn't say 'more' people or anything of that nature -- just 'people are watching,'" a network source tells CableNewser. "Sure, it opens us up to SOME opportunities for the competition to alter the slogan to make us look bad, but I think it's a good campaign overall. Of course we hope to add the 'more' in front of that slogan eventually." Thanks to a Tivo-enabled viewer, here are some Windows Media versions of the promos:
> America's Watching (60 seconds)
> America's Watching from Battle Creek, Michigan (8 seconds)
> CNBC Marketwrap With Ron Insana (20 seconds) 11:20:02 AM

Why Is FOX Successful? Two Authors Opine
Two must-read opinion pieces today:
> David Shaw, in the Los Angeles Times, says that "Fox has been successful — at least in part, I'm convinced — because more and more people want biased news, no matter how much they protest to the contrary."
> Orson Scott Card, writing for the WSJ's OpinionJournal.com, says that "the fact remains that on Fox News, and only on Fox News, we get television reportage that gives us at least two sides of every important issue. On all the other TV news outlets--and "mainstream" newspapers--we mostly get coverage that is hopelessly biased." 11:18:16 AM

"Outfoxed:" FOX Mocks Idea Of A "Free & Responsible Press"
Charlie Reina says "Outfoxed" understates the bias at FOX News. "It's only the tip of the iceberg," says Reina, who was the first person to mention "the memo." He writes in to Romenesko with his impressions of the film: "[No critic] will be able to deny -- at least not honestly -- the film’s damning underlying truth: not only is FNC politically biased, but the bias comes directly, and unabashedly, from Fox management. To those of us who went into television news with respect for honest, objective journalism, this way of doing things is appalling. It mocks the very idea of a free and responsible press." 11:17:52 AM

"Outfoxed:" Lessig's Take On Fair Use Issues
Lawrence Lessig helped Greenwald with the copyright issues, and he blogs about it. "I actually knew nothing about FOX News before working on this film...and while I came to the project with low expectations about any news network, I was still astonished." He says "there’s a lot to be amazed at." The comments about his post are interesting, too. (Via NewsBlues) 11:11:30 AM

MSNBC.com Achieves First Quarter Of Profitability
Quoting this morning's press release: MSNBC.com "has achieved its first quarter of profitability since its launch...in July 1996. The quarter comes in a year of record annual revenue of nearly $45M. Significantly, MSNBC.com reached this milestone with a diverse advertiser base..." More
> "Some people (not us) thought this day would never come," Lost Remote says, calling it "a big day for the team in Redmond." 10:59:45 AM

"Outfoxed:" Media Notes: Press Conference Begins At Noon
> The press conference with four former FOX News employees will begin at noon at the Ritz-Carlton in NYC. Along with the "whistle blowers," filmmaker Robert Greenwald, critic Eric Alterman, and spokeswoman Chellie Pingree will speak.
> From an e-mailer: "What Fox does provide is the 50% of the story (any story) that the liberal mainstream press has largely ignored/surpressed for DBF ("Decades before Fox"). If it weren't for Fox, how much do you think we'd know about the UN Oil-for-Food scandal?"
> Matt Drudge aired a bunch of audio clips from the film on his radio show last night, an e-mailer says.
> An "Outfoxed" audio clip from Howard Dean's intro, aired on the "Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:" "[Carl] Cameron's fair and balanced, O'Reilly isn't." 10:52:40 AM

"Outfoxed:" Film Facts "Cannot Be Dismissed As Propaganda"
Quoting Robert Greenwald, in an interview with I Want Media: "I challenge people to go to the substance and specificity of the film and try to deny what the seven ex-Fox News people are talking about and what the three anonymous Fox people are talking about. And try to deny the images from Fox News itself, and try to deny the memos. Those are all absolute, concrete and nonsubjective. Those things cannot be dismissed as propaganda, as hard as some may try." 10:45:25 AM

"Outfoxed:" Using FOX Footage Without Permission
Variety says "Outfoxed" could run into "fair use" trouble: "Docmaker Robert Greenwald has an ax to grind with Fox News Channel, but the cable news net may be holding the scissors," the story says. "The hitch for Greenwald and potential distributors, however, is that the doc...uses Fox News footage without permission from the news net"... 7:57:37 AM

"Outfoxed:" Greenwald Is Goliath To FOX's David?
USA Today has a short and sweet summary of "Outfoxed," with a couple of memo excerpts. And: "The film also says a study of guests on Fox's news and opinion shows over a 25-week period in 2003 showed that Republicans appeared five times more often than Democrats." The story notes that FOX "was not given a chance to respond in the film," but Greenwald calls the situation David vs. Goliath... 7:57:36 AM

"Outfoxed:" Greenwald Uses "Lots Of FOX Footage Without Permission"
"Outfoxed" includes lots and lots of FOX video clips pulled off the air -- and satellites -- and it's becoming a controversial move. Greenwald "admits he's taking a risk by using lots of Fox footage without permission," Howard Kurtz writes. "Nobody has ever made a critical documentary about a media company that uses as much footage without permission as Greenwald has," Robert Boynton writes in the NYT. "He has retained the services of several intellectual-property lawyers and experts to help him navigate the ambiguous legal terrain." So will FOX sue? "People steal our footage all the time," Dianne Brandi, Fox News's vice president for legal affairs, tells the Washington Post. "We generally sort of look the other way." 9:52:44 AM

"Outfoxed:" Memo Author/FOX VP John Moody Responds
"The movie focuses on daily editorial notes to the Fox News staff from Senior Vice President for News John Moody," Howard Kurtz writes in the Washington Post this morning. A former part-time FOX commentator says the memos were "talking points instructing us what the themes are supposed to be, and God help you if you stray." So Kurtz asks Moody for comment: "In an interview with The Post, Moody rejects 'the implication that I'm controlling the news coverage,' saying of his 1,200 employees: 'People are free to call me or message me and say, 'I think you're off base.' Sometimes I take the advice, sometimes I don't.'" 9:48:01 AM

"Outfoxed:" Summarizing The NYT Magazine Story
Here's all the best bits of today's New York Times Magazine piece about "Outfoxed," in 227 words:
> "What 'Outfoxed' does is detail the specific ways, both onscreen and behind the scenes, in which the network's conservatism shapes its news and opinion program."
> The film is "an unwavering argument against Fox News that combines the leftist partisan vigor of a Michael Moore film with the sober tone and delivery of a PBS special."
> Outfoxed was made in secret: "Though the existence of 'Outfoxed' has been quietly publicized, its particular nature and content have been closely guarded for fear, Greenwald says, that Fox would try to stop the film's release by filing a copyright-infringement lawsuit."
> In January, Greenwald started recording FOX 24/7 for six months. "After scrutinizing the initial footage, Greenwald and a team of researchers compiled a list of what they saw as Fox's telltale themes and techniques: stories questioning the patriotism of liberals; relentlessly upbeat reports on Iraq; belligerent hosts who scream at noncompliant guests. Greenwald planned for the list's categories eventually to become organizing sections of the film. As he envisioned it, the film clips grouped by theme, together with voice-overs and commentary, would lay bare Fox's tactics, frame by frame." Then the MoveOn volunteers came in.
> Greenwald printed up "Faux News Channel" T-shirts (''We Distort, You Comply'') 9:44:50 AM

"Outfoxed:" Media Notes: Late Request For Comment?; Howard Dean!
> More Kurtz: FOX says Boynton didn't call until the last minute for comment.
> Quoting the Post: "Will "Outfoxed" change many minds? 'If this can get a good, vigorous debate going,' Greenwald says, 'I'll be a very happy camper.'"
> Newsweek: Howard Dean introduces the film. (Heh.)
> "Looks like the press, which has always had a problem with Fox, is gong to have one hell of a circle jerk over this movie," an e-mailer says... 9:30:43 AM

"Outfoxed:" The Infamous Carl Cameron Clip
The Center for American Progress -- one of the groups that helped fund "Outfoxed" has posted two notable clips online. Here they are. This is the transcript of the Carl Cameron clip, first reported by CableNewser yesterday:

[CARL CAMERON, Fox News Senior Political Correspondent prepares for an interview with candidate and then-Governor GEORGE W. BUSH.]
CAMERON: My wife has been hanging out with your sister.
BUSH: Yeah. Good. [Laughs]
CAMERON: ...been all over the state campaigning, and Pauline has been constantly with her.
BUSH: Yeah, [?] is a good person.
CAMERON: Oh, she's been terrific! To hear Pauline tell it, when she first started campaigning for you, she was a little bit nervous. But...
BUSH: Hitting her stride?
CAMERON: She doesn't need notes, she's going to crowds, and she's got the whole riff down.
BUSH: She's a good soul.
CAMERON: She's having fun, too.
BUSH: She's a really good soul.
NARRATOR: And in any other news organization, in fact in CNN that very summer, there was a producer whose husband was a lawyer for the Gore team. And this was a producer who would have naturally covered Gore, who was immediately told you're not to have anything to do with campaign coverage, either covering Bush or covering Gore because of the possible conflict of interest or the perception of a conflict at interest. At Fox, they didn't care. The fact that the senior political reporter whose wife was actually campaigning for the Bush campaign at a time when this guy's covering them, that didn't even register. It never would have occured.

> But an e-mailer makes a good point: Cameron has always been considered an objective reporter. Howard Kurtz's April story "reported that he's a fair reporter, well liked and respected by the Dems, who has broken many stories, including the news in 2000 that Bush received a previous DUI," the e-mailer says. "That doesn't seem like somebody who favors any side of the aisle." 9:20:39 AM