media

Middle-Aged Guy Doesn't Like Twitter

Hamilton Nolan · 07/16/13 08:11AM

A coveted job writing for the New York Times op-ed page is considered one of the most exclusive gigs in journalism. And with good reason: the unparalleled intellect and experience of their columnists are simply without equal. Where else will you find some middle-aged dad with the wit and bravery necessary to proclaim: hey, I don't care for this "Twitter" thing?

Terrible NTSB Intern Blamed for KTVU's “Ho Lee Fuk” Blunder

Cord Jefferson · 07/12/13 07:52PM

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a press release this evening acknowledging that a summer intern had erroneously confirmed four fake Asiana pilot names to Bay Area TV station KTVU. The release corroborates KTVU's claim that an NTSB official had confirmed that "Ho Lee Fuk" and "Sum Ting Wong," among others, had been manning Asiana flight 214, which crashed near San Francisco on Saturday.

Yes Virginia, There Is a Darwin

Hamilton Nolan · 07/12/13 01:00PM

Virginia Heffernan was once a high-profile tech and culture writer for the New York Times. For this reason, she is taken seriously. Yesterday, she wrote an essay entitled "Why I'm a Creationist." It amounts to a very specific guide as to why Virginia Heffernan should no longer be taken seriously.

Cord Jefferson · 07/12/13 12:55PM

Despite the fact that seemingly everyone on Twitter was watching the proudly stupid Syfy film Sharknado last night, reports this morning say the movie only netted about a million viewers. The lesson, once again, is that Twitter ruins your perspective on what people actually care about.

Is It Time to Give Up on CNN?

Sid Bedingfield · 07/10/13 08:00AM

For several days now, CNN’s extensive coverage of the George Zimmerman trial has shouldered aside the more important Egypt story on the network’s U.S. channel.

Cord Jefferson · 07/09/13 06:28PM

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, The View's resident right-wing shouting head, is ankling the ABC kaffeeklatsch to take her rightful place on Fox News. She'll be joining Fox & Friends as a replacement for Gretchen Carlson, who is getting her own show.

Hamilton Nolan · 07/08/13 01:13PM

The Village Voice has hired Tom Finkel as its 6,738th editor, assuming he hasn't quit already.

The Washington Post Is a Bitter, Jealous Little Newspaper

Hamilton Nolan · 07/02/13 09:53AM

The Washington Post, the pre-Politico newsletter of choice for The Political Establishment, has the worst opinion section in America. Today, they once again prove why: the paper, which helped to break the NSA Prism spying story, editorializes that the U.S. government must stop Edward Snowden from leaking any more of that awful news.

Secrecy Is the Problem

Hamilton Nolan · 06/26/13 12:11PM

Some people say that Edward Snowden is a hero because the secret NSA spying program that he exposed was ripe for abuse. Other people say Edward Snowden is a villain, because the program seemed to be well-run and lawful. Both of these positions are grounded in fantasy. Nobody knows whether the government's power was abused; it's a secret. That's the problem. That's the point.

Hamilton Nolan · 06/21/13 02:24PM

After three years on the job, Rolling Stone publisher Matt Mastrangelo has been fired by his boss, Jann Wenner. No word yet on whether he'll be replaced by one of Wenner's children.

Here Is the Archive of the Famous Liberal Media 'Journolist'

Hamilton Nolan · 06/21/13 09:13AM

Way back in 2009, the hottest media story was the exposure of the existence of "Journolist," a private listserv of several hundred mostly liberal journalists, talking to each other about crap. This was perceived as a big scandal! Andrew Breitbart offered $100,000 for the full archives. Well, we got (some of) them. Here they are.

ABC News Picks PR Man to Take Over Ted Koppel's Chair [UPDATED]

Hamilton Nolan · 06/20/13 10:11AM

For a quarter of a century, newsman Ted Koppel lent an air of gravitas to ABC News' Nightline. And now, years after Koppel's retirement, the network has finally found the right person to replace this icon of journalism: a guy who owns a PR firm.

Cord Jefferson · 06/18/13 08:26PM

Noah Gallagher Shannon, whose New York Times Magazine essay about being on a doomed plane drew critics skeptical of his story, has given an interview to the Atlantic to walk back some of his earlier claims.

Hamilton Nolan · 06/13/13 09:58AM

Here is your daily reminder that the DC press corps is a fetid cesspool of conflicts of interest.