Sunday, July 12, 1998

What do the changing fortunes of CNN's Peter Arnett and the New Yorker's Tina Brown say about our media? Brian Lehrer checks it out on this week's On the Media. Brian also talks about sex! with MTV's Dr. Drew... asks if American culture is taking over the world... and explores bias in the US media.

The New Yorker Loses Tina Brown: What Next?
Tina Brown's resignation from The New Yorker, the grand old dame of magazines she's been accused of tarting up - or credited with saving - has the media world abuzz with speculation about the future of the magazine. But what was her real impact on the world of fiction and non-fiction letters? And how has the magazine's owner, the Conde Nast empire, with its bottom-line emphasis, affected the journalism and literary worlds?

James Ledbetter, Media writer for the Village Voice and Mark Singer, staff writer for The New Yorker, give their views.

Commentary: CNN: Driven by Buzz?
Dan Molina, former NBC correspondent, takes a look at how TV stories are put together and how the elements of the perfect story might have driven CNN to put on a report it had to retract.

Is "McCulture" The future of the world?
A recent conference in Canada bashed United States dominance of the world's cultures through television, film, the press, and music. The US claims it's all about trade, but other countries say it's about preserving their identity.

Ambassador Derek Shearer, former US Ambassador to Finland and Professor of International Relations, Occidental College, joins Alain Modoux, Director, UNESCO Division on Freedom of Expression and Democracy, to take a closer look at the issue.

NPR'S Brooke Gladstone On the Media
Brooke and Brian take a look at the culpability and future of CNN's Peter Arnett and why NBC's Dateline has to pay damages for a negative report.
It Isn't all Black and White

WNYC's Laura Sydell shares her reporter's notebook on covering the Pagones lawsuit charging black activists Al Sharpton, Alton Maddox, and C. Vernon Mason with defamation in the case of Tawana Brawley.

History of Objectivity
How did objectivity become a goal for the press? Can it ever be attained? Should it even be attempted? A historical perspective and contemporary implications... David Mindich, author of "Just the Facts", joins Brian for this discussion.

Listeners on Media Bias
Listener letters and vox populi on the question: are the media biased?

Talking about Sex
MTV's Loveline tries to address sexual issues for the nineties. Brian speaks with host Dr. Drew Pinsky (Dr. Drew) about how he attempts to give serious advice in a rock and roll context.

WNYC archives id: 24021