the “inspector general” here (1st screenshot) is Anthony D'Esposito (2nd screenshot) in case you were wondering just how big of a cluster this is

Wow. Looks like the Tampa Bay Times has started using AI to produce simple stories. I remember when the newspaper had a real estate website which downloaded data from nearby counties and could display it in an AI-written story. But I don't remember that in the actual newspaper. loom.ly/4H4o-Hk

I find it amazing that Epstein’s most famous buddy in the U..K. has been stripped of his titles, arrested and investigated, while his most famous buddy in America is actually running the country. Sigh. https://loom.ly/44Q9tNs

Stories like this always stick in my craw. Because I have been writing and speaking out on the destructive manipulation of reality TV since Survivor debuted back in 2000. Some of us always knew how problematic America's Next Top Model was and tried to get people to stop watching it: wapo.st/3MwruPc

I sat in the audience at the Poynter Institute’s Bowtie Ball fundraiser in 2023 when Anderson Cooper donated $50,000 to help support quality journalism. I would have been amazed if he agreed to work for Bari Weiss, given what she’s done to the journalists at CBS News already. loom.ly/sk7bySY

Just because they might be able to offer programming that might satisfy the FCC doesn't mean they wanted to deal with the possibility of crossing the agency. Especially since some of them weren't sure a syndicated radio show from New York would be popular with their listeners, anyway.

In my book, Race-Baiter, i interviewed ex-Clear Channel Radio executives responsible for the rise of Rush Limbaugh who told me that the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine was part of the environment which encouraged station owners to take his syndicated radio show and feature it on their AM stations.

Many thanks to CNN Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter, who quoted me in the lead paragraph of his Reliable Sources newsletter today. Just wish it was about better news than CBS caving to the Trump administration. Again.

Stephen Colbert’s relationship w/CBS may be fraying as he spoke out on the network’s statement disputing his explanation why an interview w/James Talarico landed on YouTube. “They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers.” READ: https://loom.ly/2tVbC-U

Stephen Colbert has responded to CBS disputing his contention the network prevented him from airing an interview with James Talarico: “They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’ lawyers.” READ MORE HERE: loom.ly/2tVbC-U

Had more than a few thoughts on Substack about Stephen Colbert's tussle w/CBS and the FCC, including the notion that a real media company might actually challenge any unfair federal oversight or punishment in court to preserve its editorial freedom, instead of obeying in advance. loom.ly/9_u_JJA

I quote the messages I’m replying to so my followers can see which posts I’m responding to. Otherwise, I think people get confused about which points I am addressing. If you want to have a private conversation, just send a direct message.

Stern didn’t create that genre in talk radio. That was Bob Grant in NYC, who was an inspiration to both Stern and Sean Hannity…

Stern is not and was not political. His problem in terrestrial radio was always indecency rules, nothing about political content.

No. The Fairness Doctrine was repealed, allowing right wing radio to rise.

Kudos to Stephen Colbert for speaking out on CBS barring him from interviewing Senate candidate James Talarico due to threats from the FCC. Shows how FCC Chair doesn't need to actually do anything to get his way - the threats are enough to limit speech. WATCH: loom.ly/xhTty-k

So…the Bari Weiss-led CBS News loses Anderson Cooper from 60 Minutes after 20 years but keeps Peter Attia, the health contributor whose name appears in documents connected with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over 1,700 times. So far, she’s covering the institution in glory. https://loom.ly/fI7qA9o

That's why public media, with funding from the federal government, corporate grants AND private donors works well. No one leg of the stool can exert too much pressure, but they all have a stake in the overall enterprise.

The downside of news' advertising model: it shifted true cost of producing news to advertisers, training generations of consumers to expect quality journalism for low or no cost. Pew released a survey echoing that; Americans feel little responsibility to pay for news. READ: https://loom.ly/C-j1mQQ

Had the good fortune of hanging with Nikole Hannah-Jones at the Knight Media Forum this week when she told me about working on this story. Couldn’t wait to read. Powerful and of the moment. READ: loom.ly/bMt-NB0

Now that almost all the old James Bond films have surfaced on Netflix, I thought it was a good time to resurface a column I did for NPR five years ago on my conflicted feelings about Agent 007. It's a look at my struggle with White Guy Hero Infatuation Syndrome. READ: https://loom.ly/zRizq4k

This.

So sad to read…

If that’s enough to “take them out” of the story, wait until they start asking why the universal translators don’t work on all the Klingon phrases they’re slinging. LOL. As a Black person of a certain age who loved seeing that people like me existed in the future, I can see why they did this.

You're probably done w/Bad Bunny/Super Bowl/Kid Rock. But Canadian TV's Forum Daily News asked me about the halftime show and Turning Point USA's ill-advised "alternative." I told them Bad Bunny is the future and Kid rock is not. But in a lot more words. WATCH: https://loom.ly/zino2WM

As the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES refuses to apologize for posting a racist image of the FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT - let that sink in - I ask why people like Trump, who do such obviously racist things, won't just admit that it's racism? CLICK LINK HERE OR FOLO URL TO MY SUBSTACK: loom.ly/Jcn89RM

Looks like my humble Substack page is #72 and rising in the Culture area! Thank you all who have checked out the content! And if you haven't, take a look by CLICKING HERE: loom.ly/5NbWwNI

Got up early this morning to talk about the best Super Bowl commercials - not many - and Bad Bunny's transcendent halftime show on NPR's Morning Edition. This link has the audio AND updated text story on Super Bowl ads w/fresh stuff from Sunday. READ and LISTEN: https://loom.ly/T9pZRdg

Love how Bad Bunny, the supposed thug according to Trump and MAGA, pulled out a whole ass wedding for his halftime show at #SuperBowlLX...

I thought I did. But I didn't think Tarantino would make a sequel his last movie.

Man, I could have sworn I saw an interview with him where he had an accent. As I said, American Idiot...

Is it me, or did Redfin-Rocket Mortgage send a message that kids who look like immigrants can be great neighbors in the the #SuperBowlLX ad? youtu.be/VvEFiLqsCDw?...

But not directed by Tarantino. interesting...so I guess this doesn't count as his 10th and last film?

TV commentators didn't notice Netflix honcho Ted Sarandos chilling at #SuperBowlLX with Adam Sandler.

What the heck was that ad on #SuperBowlLX for the Brad Pitt movie where stuff was scratched out like it was animated? Coming Soon? I'm not partial to ads so ambiguous you have no idea what the film is.

Speaking of American Idiots, it wasn't until I saw him sing the National Anthem at #SuperBowlLX that I realized Charlie Puth isn't British (yes, I'm the idiot in this scenario). And Brandi Carlisle rocked America the Beautiful, too...

Green Day rocked it at #SuperBowlLX, as I expected. and they played American Idiot, to leave little doubt where they stood.

Thank you so much!

My friend, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

I think too many people believe that Trump maintains his power because journalists aren’t reporting on him well enough. I don’t think that is true. There’s plenty of good reporting on questions about his heath, his racism, his lies. Of course, journalists can do better. But the truth is out there.

I think you should do a few Google searches to see how those issues were actually covered.

And hate to open this can of worms, but it seems obvious Biden’s people hid his physical problems from voters in unethical ways. Don’t blame journalists for trying to reveal that to the public.

I also think big media outlets are often going do incredible work and incredibly disappointing work in the same moment. I think it is the the nature of things, especially now. I wil always push for better work, but abandoning them now only ensures the good work never happens.

For what it is worth, Kara Swisher says Lewis was fired and allowed to spin it as a voluntary departure. www.threads.com/@karaswisher...

I think many people are unaware how much some independent sources depend on the Associated Press, New York Times , Washington Post and NPR for the facts on which they base their woprk. Truly covering a wide range of news requires a lot of people, which is tough to do outside of legacy platforms.

Days after Washington Post laid off 300 journalists, publisher Will Lewis -- conspicuously absent during the notifications to those whose jobs were cut -- is stepping down. Attached is Lewis' memo to staff, courtesy of my NPR colleague David Folkenflik. READ: https://loom.ly/vZyjS90

Had great fun reconnecting with folks from the Tampa Bay area to talk about Bad Bunny, his halftime show at the Super Bowl and the unfortunate, racist response to his presence on "Florida Matters," the talk show aired by NPR affiliate WUSF-FM in Tampa. LISTEN: https://loom.ly/ClTGcaQ

And I’m saying, as a college professor and someone who often serves as a mentor, there is no such thing as being done with passing on the knowledge. There are always new people and new situations. You seem to be misunderstanding how the process works.

Okay, then you have no excuse for not knowing how institutional knowledge works, then?

Here’s the thing about the news business: New stories keep coming up that you can cover better when you remember how the institution handled similar past situations. That’s a nice way of saying you’re dead wrong, my friend.