Sunday, November 1, 1998

The whole world is watching as John Glenn blasts off into space, but are NASA watchers doing their job? On this week's On the Media: a debate about NASA reporting. Also, the Republicans are going after the President in a new advertizing blitz... former NewsHour anchor Robert MacNeil's biting novel about TV news... and watching television with Arthur the interactive doll.... That's this week on NPR's On the Media.

NASA: PR Mill
Senator John Glenn's return to space has created a NASA media frenzy we haven't seen the like of for years. NASA has almost always gotten easy coverage from the press. Is the space program reported on well, or are rockets just blowing reporters away? Taking a look at this issue are guests Alex Roland, Chair of Duke University's History Department and former NASA Historian, and Andy Chaikin, author of Man On the Moon

Republican Congressional Ads
In a last-minute get-out-the-vote effort, Republicans have launched a 10 million dollar ad campaign to influence next week's congressional elections. But they're breaking their old strategy of not mentioning the Monica Scandal and are hoping that by playing it up, they'll help turn some key districts. Commentator John Carroll, Reporter and Media Critic for WGBH TV, Boston, gives his views.

Breaking News: Robert MacNeil's New Novel
Robert MacNeil, former executive editor and co-host of PBS's MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, has written a biting novel about the TV news business. From scandal-driven stories to internet gossip to trying to hold on to journalistic scandals, MacNeil's book takes a long, hard look at the Network news industry.

Brooke and Brian
Brian and NPR's Media correspondent Brooke Gladstone take a look at the week's media news.

Listener Letters

Sportswriting
Sports writers tell the mythic tales of American heroes from Joe DiMaggio to Muhammed Ali to Tiger Woods. But what makes sportswriting the great American Art form it is? Bill Littlefield, host of NPR's Only A Game, joins David Remnick, Editor of The New Yorker and author of King of the World, for this discussion.

Interactive Play
Microsoft has come out with a new doll, Arthur, that will talk, play games and watch TV with you. Reporter Richard Hake of WNYC Radio explores the effects programming a child's imagination might have.

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