Introduction:
The National Rifle Association wants to serve you lunch, and pry away your cold hard cash. This is Bob Garfield of On The Media. Does the NRA's proposed restaurant in Times Square exploit an intersection as a form of media? Also Hezbollah TV, and all those Very Special episodes. Those stories and more this week on NPR's On The Media.

SEGMENT A:
The National Rifle Association is diversifying into the theme restaurant business. Guest host Bob Garfield looks at whether the NRA's restaurant proposal is for real or just a marketing scheme using the ultimate advertising medium:Times Square. Commentators are John Seabrook of The New Yorker, Peter Romeo of Restaurant Business Magazine, Terry Lefton of Brandweek Magazine, and Bill Powers of the NRA.

Hezbollah's Media War
Israel is leaving Lebanon, but Hezbollah's media war may be far from over. Bob talks to Jennifer Ludden, NPR Correspondent for the Middle East, about the Hezbollah ongoing war with TV cameras.

SEGMENT B
Bob and Lisa
Brian talks with MSNBC Correspondent Lisa Napoli about what's new in the world of new media.

African Filmmakers
War, natural disasters and economic crises may have diminished hope of a prominent African film industry, but Africans are still making films all over the continent. Reporter David D'Arcy takes a look at contemporary African films, and why they are some of the few stories by Africans about Africa that reach the West. Commentators include African filmmakers Mahamat Saleh Haroun, Andrew Dosunmu and Theo Eshetu.

Street.Com
The Internet site the Street.com and the Fox News network are embattled in a feud over Street.com contributor Jim Cramer's hyping of his own company's stock on the air. But what line did Cramer cross? Bob explores the meaning of disclosure when a financial reporter is also a stock analyst and a corporate officer. Commentators are Christopher Byron of the New York Observer, Steven Brill of Brill's Content, Marek Fuchs of fertileminds.com.

SEGMENT C:
Mental Engineering
Bob speaks to John Forde about his public television program, Mental Engineering, which deconstructs and debunks commercial advertising culture.

Friends No Longer In Need:
After a tense standoff between NBC and their Friends, pay negotiations ended with a hefty wage-hike for the cast of six. Modernhumorist.com Senior Editor Daniel Radosh tells you why they're worth every penny.

TV Stars Have Problems Too: And They Let You Know It.
With Katie Couric's on-screen colonoscopy, Michael J. Fox's very public Parkinsons and Tom Green's lymph node removal on MTV - the stars are taking the 'very special episode' concept to new heights. Time Magazine's TV critic, James Poniewozik explains why poor health equals high ratings.

"A Very Special" On The Media
On The Media's Bob Garfield has his own incurable health problem he must share with his listeners. This is a tribute and an homage to our host - and of course, it's all done in the best possible taste.

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