Week of January 10, 1999

This week On the Media takes a look at the impeachment trial, the quality of local televison news, how HDTV will affect YOU, and the NBA's media-sports complex.

1. Impeachment Trial Coverage: On the Media looks at the image of the impeachment process in the media, how the trappings of the Supreme Court in the Senate may play a role in the public perception of a process that, until now, has been rancorous and partisan.
Guest: Edward Felsenthal, Reporter and Editor, Wall Street Journal

2.NBA Lockout and The Media
How will a media enterprise - the NBA - recover from the bad press of the players lockout?
Guest: Michael Wise, sports reporter, The New York Times

3.Rating Local TV News
A new survey looks at local TV news outlets across the country to determine if quality journalism gets ratings. It seems a station needs to go either totally tabloid or solidly serious to get viewers. Those who try to mix the two don't do well in the ratings. Brian and his guests look into "What Works, What Flops, and Why" in local TV news.
Guests: Tom Rosenstiel, Executive Director, Project for Excellence in Journalism
Gordon Peterson, anchor, WUSA-TV in Washington DC, and one of the broadcasters who helped design the survey

4. TV Anchorman Turns Mayor
The most popular TV anchorman in Augusta, Georgia, Bob Young, is now that city's mayor. David Pollock reports on the questions raised when a journalist runs for and wins public office. Read more here.
Reporter: David Pollock

5.Brooke and Brian: NPR's Media Maven Brooke Gladstone and Brian take a look at this week's media stories.
Guest: Brooke Gladstone, Media Correspondent, NPR

6. High Definition TV: How and Why?
CBS broadcasts NFL games in the new high definition format. How is it different from the TV we're used to, is anyone watching - and why are networks switching to digital, anyway?
Guest: Ken Aagaard, Senior Vice President of Operations and Production Services, CBS

7. High Definition TV and the Public Interest
Can HDTV function in the public interest? Or will it just mean more channels of public airwaves enriching the same few private companies, while expanding the vast wasteland of television - and, by the way, making us all replace our TV sets?
Guests: Norman Ornstein, the American Enterprise institute; co-chair of Vice President Gore's Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
Newton Minow, former Chairman of the FCC; former Chairman of PBS. He was on the committee, and wrote a strong dissent.

8.Reforma Reforms Mexican Journalism
A newspaper called Reforma has re-energized Mexican journalism, moving it away from being a party apparatus and towards a more aggressive, independent press.
Guest: Alejandro Junco de la Vega, publisher, Reforma

We'd like to hear your thoughts on these stories, and your comments and ideas for other stories. Write to us at onthemedia@wnyc.org.

On the Media with Brian Lehrer airs on Sundays at 4pm and on Radio New York, AM820. You can also hear On the Media on these stations.

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