The drama over the release of the CBS internal probe of Rathergate had several acts. In the first act, nearly everyone acknowledged that the actual "news" gathering by CBS was amazingly unprofessional. But most news accounts also recounted - without giggling - that the panel had uncovered no evidence of political bias at CBS. By Act II, the Left was trying to change the subject, suggesting CBS's dishonesty was not as serious as that of the Bush White House. It's the kind of twisted logic that fuels the rabid left these days. On MSNBC, Bush-bashing Chris Matthews complained to New... continue reading
There is a sound component to the modern libertarian movement in America today, but all too often it's overshadowed by the impulse toward social irresponsibility. Adam Thierer of the Cato Institute has savaged the Parents Television Council in "'Desperate Housewives' and Desperate Regulators," an op-ed marked by stunning incoherence and juvenile low blows. If this is the best Cato can do, it goes a long way toward explaining why the libertarian movement is not taken seriously on the American political scene. The premise of Mr. Thierer's screed is that the Parents Television Council, a "censorship advocate" is exercising a "heckler's... continue reading
After perusing the year-end (Dec. 27/Jan. 3) issue of Newsweek, I defy any editor there to deny this magazine is a mouthpiece for the political left. Their cover boy was Senator-Elect Barack Obama of Illinois, the "rising star," as the Democrats and so many admirers in the press have dubbed him. But Obama wasn't the only senator profiled in the magazine's "Who's Next Issue." After the loving cover story on staunchly liberal Obama, a "news" report authored by Jonathan Alter (usually their predictably leftist in-house columnist), Newsweek reporter Howard Fineman profiled staunchly conservative Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. The contrast... continue reading
Loser: Janet Jackson. Her breast-exposing "wardrobe malfunction" stunt in front of hundreds of millions of Super Bowl fans around the globe brought this woman the kind of infamy only her brother would understand: Worldwide attention, worldwide scorn. Sure, it sold some albums, but those sales soon dried up. Janet is just another pathetic Jackson family member who will stop at nothing to stay in the spotlight, even if it means disgracing herself. Winner: Bill Cosby. After spending decades entertaining millions of children with his brand of marvelous comedy, Cosby has now launched a crusade of passionate speeches urging black children... continue reading
When Congress put PBS on the map by passing the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, it included language that the new network should insist on fairness and balance in "all programming of a controversial nature." Seldom in America has legislative language been more ignored, even mocked, on a daily basis. The most obvious personal embodiment of this mockery, Bill Moyers, finally has stepped down from his weekly Friday night complainathon, "Now with Bill Moyers." But he retired from his show with a typical jeremiad against what he believes to be the biggest threat of our time. Not terrorism, not Islamic... continue reading
As Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ child and Jews give thanks and praise to God for sustenance even in alien lands and hostile cultures, it's a great time to reflect on how the relentlessly secular entertainment industry reflects-in fact, mocks-the religious beliefs of its American audience. In the arid land of secular orthodoxy, there is no alarm at simple "spirituality" if it is trendy and harmless, and the God-idea is conveniently controlled by the individual, instead of the individual submitting to a sovereign you-know-Who. Even traditional faiths can be tolerated by Hollywood as long as they... continue reading
2004 should be remembered as the year when the nation's media elite were so committed to the goal of turning President Bush out of office that some were willing to sacrifice their own reputations for it. Their supposed commitment to fairness and balance evaporated in the public mind. It was a tough year for judges of the Media Research Center's " Best of Notable Quotables " competition for the year's worst reporting. They were confronted with an embarrassment of riches. The year's biggest media disaster was Dan Rather's use of phony "government documents" showing that George W. Bush disobeyed orders... continue reading
One commonly assumes that movies and television shows that win industry awards are therefore the best movies and television shows, the apex of artistic achievement. With the new year approaching, the awards buzz starts again. The unveiling of this year's Golden Globes nominations underscores that in some instances the "best" are being saluted. In others, Hollywood is celebrating its own sense of enlightened outrageousness. In one sense, the Golden Globes is a bit of a (bad) joke. How many people know it's a tiny operation run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which consists of only 83 voting members, all... continue reading
Young students in journalism school ought to be taught that "by their stories, you shall know them." The media reveal their opinions about the world not only in their endless pontificating verbiage, but in the topics they choose. The "news" becomes whatever floats their boat, whatever they urgently want the people to know. It's no surprise that one thing the left wants the people to believe is that the people who took the country to war in Iraq are not only foolishly hawkish, but tactically incompetent. Just because the people heard this ad nauseam and re-elected Team Bush anyway doesn't... continue reading
Oliver Stone has been out of the limelight for a long time, having gone five years between major theatrical releases, since the 1999 football film "Any Given Sunday." The delay could be due to his turning slightly crazy, including an October 2001 panel discussion where he suggested September 11 happened because the Hollywood studios are run by six "princes" that wouldn't let him make a film about Martin Luther King. Christopher Hitchens spoke for many when he summarized that Stone had "lost it." In November, Stone proved Hitchens' point by releasing "Alexander," as in Alexander the Great, the Macedonian conqueror... continue reading