2006 DECEMBER
Dec. 28, 2006

The Troubled Media
The media in Venezuela, critics argue, is vibrant and unabashedly bias, but violence and legal snares against the media paint a picture of self-censorship and repression.

Dec. 18, 2006

Proposals to Increase Troop Levels in Iraq Raise Questions at Home
At a time when some policy-makers are calling for a drawback of combat forces from Iraq, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and others have called for more troops to help end the conflict. Editorial page editors from around the country debate the proposals.

  

NOVEMBER
Nov. 27, 2006

Composer Steve Reich Discusses His Work
Steve Reich, a pioneer in tape music and American minimalism, has established himself as one of the "first generation" composers of our time. Jeffrey Brown interviews Reich about his work.

Nov. 24, 2006

Holocaust Museum Exhibit Spotlights Suffering in Darfur
Photographs of Darfur are being projected on the exterior walls of the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., in an attempt to spotlight the plight of people in that region of Sudan.

Nov. 17, 2006

Al Jazeera Launches English Service
Arabic television news channel Al Jazeera has launched an English-language station. It will broadcast from studios in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington, D.C., in addition to 20 other countries.

  

Nov. 14, 2006

Dialogue: Generation Next and the Media
In recent weeks, Natalia Bailey, 18, and Ryan Walsh, 19, discussed over e-mail whether Generation Next or the traditional media deserves more blame for the way in which young Americans have stopped reading newspapers and watching television news.

Nov. 10, 2006

L.A. Times, Philadelphia Inquirer Face Pressure of Newsroom Job Cuts
Parent Company Tribune Co. ousted L.A. Times editor Dean Baquet this week when he resisted pressure to cut jobs. On the East Coast, rumors were floating that the Philadelphia Inquirer could lose as much as one-third of its newsroom positions. A business reporter for the Washington Post discusses the challenges newspapers face.

  

Nov. 9, 2006

Veteran Journalist Ed Bradley Dies of Leukemia Complications at Age 65
"60 Minutes" correspondent Ed Bradley died Wednesday night in a Manhattan hospital of complications resulting from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A pioneering black journalist, Bradley won 19 Emmys for his work.

  

Nov. 7, 2006

Scandals, Gaffes and Smear Ads Provide Humor Despite Serious Election Stakes
Although parties have eyed this year's midterm elections with increasing sobriety, comedians and entertainers have found plenty to laugh at through the scandals, Sen. John Kerry's "botched joke" and the smear ads. Jeffrey Brown reports on the lighter side of the election.

Nov. 7, 2006

Newspaper Editor Discusses Voter Turnout in Tennessee
Analysts say the results of the close Tennessee Senate race depends on voter turnout, especially black and undecided suburban voters. A Tennessee editor discusses the issue of getting people to the polls.

Nov. 3, 2006

Television Show Aims to Inform Kids About Politics
Linda Ellerbee hosts a current events news magazine program on Nickelodeon for kids. She has used this outlet to inform children about campaign news and this year's midterm election.

  

OCTOBER
Oct. 27, 2006

Ads Charge Opponents with Loose Morals, Fiscal Failures and Perversion
With the midterm election approaching and control of Congress at stake, bitterly-fought campaigns have led to a number of controversial negative ads making the news. Analysts discuss the impact of charges of emotional pandering, financial chicanery and loose morals.

  

Oct. 19, 2006

NBC Universal Undergoes Restructuring That Will Cut 700 at the Network
NBC Universal announced Thursday that it would shift spending from tradition broadcast TV to digital entertainment. It will cut 700 jobs because of this restructuring. A media consultant discusses changing times in the media world.

  

Oct. 17, 2006

Books Written on the War in Iraq and on President Bush Will Impact History
Numerous books written by journalists have been published on the war in Iraq and on President Bush. A journalist and two historians discuss the impact these writings will have on historical accounts.

  

Oct. 17, 2006

Campaign Ads Focus on Iraq, Immigration, Ethics
With the midterm elections nearing, campaign ads are filling the airwaves and promoting candidates' positions on various issues including the Iraq war and immigration. A political expert describes the strategies behind the ads.

  

Oct. 12, 2006

Controversial Turkish Novelist Wins Nobel Prize in Literature
Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was prosecuted by the Turkish government for commenting on the genocide of Armenians during World War I, was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for his novels on modern life in Turkey. Pamuk discusses the award and his work.

  

Oct. 10, 2006

Google Pays $1.65 Billion for Popular Video Web Site YouTube
Google announced this week that it will pay $1.65 billion in stock for the popular video repository and search engine YouTube. Technology and financial analysts discuss the implications of the ground-breaking deal for the future of the Internet.

  

Oct. 9, 2006

Sudanese Government Drops Spy Charges, Releases American Journalist
On August 6, Chicago Tribune correspondent Paul Salopek and two assistants were jailed by the Sudanese government for more than a month on charges of spying before officials dropped the charges. Salopek discusses his detention and coverage of the crisis in Darfur.

  

Oct. 9, 2006

Russian Human Rights Journalist Murdered in Moscow
Anna Politkovskaya, known for her reporting of human rights abuses by the Russian military and the plight of civilians in Chechnya, was gunned down Saturday in Moscow. Colleague Nina Ognianova discusses the murder and reflects on Politkovskaya's career in journalism.

  

Oct. 4, 2006

Essayist Clarence Page Reflects on Journalists in Movies
Essayist Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune discusses the images of journalists as presented in Hollywood films.

Oct. 4, 2006

Woodward Discusses New Book Critical of Administration on Iraq War
Washington Post editor Bob Woodward's new book, "State of Denial", critiques the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq and how officials presented the need to go to war to the American public.

  

Oct. 3, 2006

Newspaper Outlets Withheld Reporting on Foley E-mails
Several news organizations knew months ago about the explicit messages that Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., sent to male congressional pages but decided not to report on them. One of the editors involved in the decision-making explains why.

  

SEPTEMBER
Sept. 27, 2006

Youth, Advertisers Flock to Networking Web Sites
Advertisers and employers are moving to take advantage of social networking Web sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, as the sites draw hefty numbers of users. Judy Woodruff reports on the phenomenon in the first part of a series on 16-to-25 year olds, which will culminate in a PBS documentary airing in January.

  

Sept. 26, 2006

Survey Finds Benefits, Hurdles in the Internet's Future
In a new Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, leading technology thinkers, business people, and activists agreed that the Internet will will bring both great promise and problems in the year 2020. Lee Raine, the director of the Pew Project, discusses the poll.

Sept. 21, 2006

Los Angeles Times Resists Cost-cutting Measures
The board of directors of the Tribune Co., the corporate parent of the Los Angeles Times, met Thursday to discuss cuts at the newspaper. But the editorial staff is fighting back. Media experts discuss the standoff.

  

Sept. 13, 2006

Apple Reveals New Internet Movie Service
Apple Computer Inc. unveiled a new service that will allow consumers to download movies onto an iPod or a computer just as they do with music from online stores. A media expert discusses the future of digital downloading and movie watching.

  

Sept. 12, 2006

ABC 9-11 Television Movie Draws Criticisms over Accuracy, Politics
Following ABC's airing of a docudrama about 9-11, critics argue over the fact and fiction in television docudramas. Communication and media experts discuss the docudrama phenomenon in America.

  

Sept. 6, 2006

Newsrooms Grapple with Appropriate Level of Personality
Prominent news anchors are sometimes treated as celebrities by their viewers and the media. A media columnist examines what level of personality and opinion is appropriate in news reporting.

  

Sept. 4, 2006

NewsHour Correspondent Ordered to Leave Iran
Senior correspondent Margaret Warner, who has been ordered to leave Iran where she was reporting for the NewsHour, talks about the mood now that President Ahmadinejad has rejected U.N. demands to stop processing uranium.

  

AUGUST
Aug. 30, 2006

Former State Dept. Official Admits Role as CIA Leak Source
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage confirmed that he was the primary source for Robert Novak's New York Times article that revealed the identity of a CIA officer and sparked a criminal leak investigation. A Washington correspondent discusses the story.

  

Aug. 25, 2006

New York Times Researcher Sentenced in China
A New York Times researcher in China, Zhao Yan, was charged with revealing state secrets and has been detained by authorities in Beijing for almost two years. The court announced Friday that Yan will be given a three-year prison sentence. An expert discusses the fairness of the Chinese legal system.

  

Aug. 23, 2006

Tower Records Bankruptcy Heralds Industry Changes
Music chain Tower Records filed for bankruptcy for the second time on Sunday. An expert discusses how digital downloads and large-scale music distributors are changing the music industry.

  

Aug. 18, 2006

Photographers Recount Covering Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Photographers Tyler Hicks and Rina Castelnuovo of The New York Times describe their experiences covering the Middle East conflict over the last month in Lebanon and Israel.

Aug. 17, 2006

Media Responds to Accusations of Bias in Middle East Coverage
Three days into a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, many readers and viewers continue to debate the perceived bias in the coverage of the Middle East conflict. Media experts analyze the reasons behind the perceptions of bias in the war's coverage.

  

Aug. 3, 2006

AOL to Offer Free Services as Part of Company Restructuring
In an effort to take advantage of the "explosive rise in broadband use and online advertising," Time Warner's Internet arm, AOL, plans to offer free e-mail and other services as it moves away from its dial-up Internet service and cuts some 5,000 jobs.

  

JULY
July 27, 2006

Media Coverage of Israel-Hezbollah Fighting Shapes Perceptions
Media coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah fighting in both the United States and the Middle East has presented different perspectives on the conflict. Analysts discuss the ways in which the reporting has affected people's views.

  

July 20, 2006

Charlayne Hunter-Gault Discusses New Book on Her Experiences in Africa
Author Charlayne Hunter-Gault talks about her new book "New News in Africa" and she discusses her time in Africa, providing a fresh perspective to a continent that is usually potrayed negetively.

  

July 13, 2006

Owners of Philadelphia Newspapers Struggle to Reverse Declining Profits
In reporting second quarter earnings Thursday, a number of the nation's largest newspaper chains showed a decline in profits, circulation and ad revenue. Philadelphia newspaper owners are working to reverse recent misfortunes.

  

July 5, 2006

New York Times Draws Criticism over Intelligence Stories
New York Times executive editor Bill Keller and former National Security Agency Director Adm. Bobby Inman debate the newspaper's decision to publish articles about the Bush administration's surveillance of banking records and other intelligence programs.

  

JUNE
June 26, 2006

President Bush Condemns Media Leak on Banking Records
President Bush chastises the media for disclosing a secret program that seeks block terrorists by tracing financial records. Analysts debate the conflict between government and the press over the counterterrorism initiatives.

  

June 23, 2006

U.S. Government Monitors International Banking for Counterterrorism
The Treasury Department has been using internet banking programs containing transactions of thousands of Americans to track terrorism money since September 11, 2001. The lead official at the Department of Treasury explains the need for the program.

  

June 22, 2006

Congress Addresses Net Neutrality in Telecommunications Bill
The Senate Commerce Committee started deliberations Thursday on a bill overhauling the 1996 Telecommunications Act that could allow broadband providers to use a tiered pricing plan on Internet content.

  

June 20, 2006

Dan Rather Leaves CBS After 44 Years
CBS News announced today that an agreement had been reached for Dan Rather to leave the network, ending his 44-year career there. He stepped down from the principal anchor position last year and has since been contributing to "60 Minutes." A media reporter discusses the circumstances surrounding Rather's departure.

June 19, 2006

Newspaper Editor Ben Bradlee Discusses Career, Journalism
Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, who guided the newspaper through Watergate, the Pentagon Papers and other crises, sits down for an extended conversation with Jim Lehrer about journalism and his career.

  

June 19, 2006

Apathetic or Unimpressed? Where Generation Next Is Taking the Media
The news media is in the middle of an evolutionary process: Developing, progressing and becoming more complex. And according to the media giants who spend billions of dollars every year to try to understand them, young people are the catalysts.

June 7, 2006

House Approves Increase in FCC Fines for Indecency
The House of Representatives authorized the Federal Communications Commission to fine over-the-air television and radio broadcasters up to $325,000 for violating decency standards, a tenfold increase over previous penalties. President Bush is expected to sign the measure.

June 5, 2006

Government, Media Settle with Scientist over Privacy Lawsuit
A nuclear scientist accused of spying has settled with media firms and the federal government.

MAY
May 31, 2006

Network Television Stations Shuffle New Anchors
This week, Katie Couric left NBC's "Today" show to anchor the "CBS Evening News," and Charlie Gibson left his morning anchor spot to sit at ABC's "World News Tonight" desk.

May 29, 2006

Free Newspapers Change Media Landscape
With circulation dwindling for major paid newspapers in the U.S., publications distributed for free, or "freebies," are changing the landscape of the media business in cities across the country.

  

May 17, 2006

In Search of Instant Stardom
Roger Rosenblatt weighs in on the continuing cultural impact of the instant stardom of "American Idol."

May 15, 2006

Apple's IPod a Technological, Cultural Phenomenon
Apple's iPod has become a technological phenomenon tha has been growing since it first hit store shelves in 2001. Senior Correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports on its technical and cultural impact.

  

May 10, 2006

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Discusses Her New Book
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discusses her new book: "Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs."

  

May 3, 2006

Louis Rukeyser, Longtime Wall Street Week Host, Dies at 73
Louis Rukeyser, for years a fixture on Friday nights as the host of the PBS series "Wall $treet Week," died Tuesday at his home in Connecticut after a battle with a rare bone marrow cancer.

May 2, 2006

Publisher Pulls Harvard Student's Novel Over Alleged Plagiarism
Little, Brown and Co. removed Kaavya Viswanathan's debut novel from book stores as the Harvard University sophomore continues to come under fire for allegedly plagiarizing. An industry expert talks about the allegations and the book publishing industry.

  

APRIL
April 27, 2006

Arab Media Offers New Perspectives to Middle East
Jordan's government funded television network, JTV, along with several other state-run national networks, finds itself fighting to earn back viewers amidst a proliferation of independent and international satellite networks across the Middle East.

  

April 27, 2006

Oppenheimer Biography Garners Pulitzer Prize
Authors Martin Sherwin and Kai Bird won this year's Pulitzer Prize in biography for their book, "American Prometheus." Robert Oppenheimer, the subject of their work, was the director of the Manhattan Project -- the secret government effort that culminated in the first nuclear bomb.

  

April 25, 2006

Leak Case Highlights Tensions Between Government and Media
Central Intelligence Agency employee Mary McCarthy was fired Thursday for a pattern of leaking information. The firing of McCarthy and the clampdown on leaks comes amid new tensions between the government and the media.

April 24, 2006

CIA Cracks Down on Leaks, Fires Senior Official
Central Intelligence Agency employee Mary McCarthy was fired for leaking information about CIA secret prison camps to the Washington Post. Two former CIA intelligence experts discuss the implications of the firing and the future of security at the CIA.

  

April 21, 2006

Chinese Media Offers Controlled Coverage of Hu Visit
A lone protester shouted at China's President Hu Jintao as he spoke Thursday on the White House south lawn. The protesters disruption was seen all across the world except in one place: China. Two experts on Chinese affairs discuss the Chinese government's censorship of the media.

  

April 20, 2006

Activist Columnist Wins Pulitzer for Darfur Coverage
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nicholas Kristof talks to Jeffrey Brown about the crisis in Darfur and Chad, as well as his role in bringing attention to this and other conflicts.

  

April 19, 2006

Staff Changes in White House May Indicate Change in Direction
Major changes in the White House staff were announced Wednesday. Scott McClellan resigned as press secretary and deputy chief of staff Karl Rove is giving up his policy role. White House experts discuss how the staff changes will affect the President's polls and the next election.

  

April 18, 2006

China Continues Efforts to Limit Access to the Internet
In Northern California, a Chinese-born computer scientist is waging a technological war on the Chinese government's Internet restrictions. Following a report on their efforts, two regional experts assess the Chinese government's efforts to control information within its borders.

  

April 17, 2006

Paper Chronicles New Orleans Recovery, Advocates for City's Survival
The 169-year-old New Orleans Times-Picayune has found itself tested by Hurricane Katrina in unprecedented ways. A report on the newspaper's changing role after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

  

April 17, 2006

Pulitzers Honor Array of Investigative Reports
Columbia University released the winners of the 89th annual Pulitzer Prize Monday. Two experts discuss the trends among the prize winners.

  

April 11, 2006

The Spanish Media Organize their Listeners to React to the Immigration Bill
The Spanish-language media played a prominent role in the recent immigration protests. Two journalists discuss the growing clout of the Latino media and its impact on the many immigration rallies throughout the country.

  

April 10, 2006

Hurricane Katrina Gives Birth to Poetry
A report on poetry in New Orleans, where one night a week, in one small corner of the French Quarter, local poets tell stories of Hurricane Katrina.

  

April 7, 2006

Analysts Consider Political Impact of the Immigration Deal Collapse
Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the failed immigration deal in the Senate, the CIA leak case, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay and other stories of the week.

  

April 5, 2006

Couric To Anchor CBS Evening News
Katie Couric, co-host of NBC's "Today" show, is leaving to become the anchor of CBS's "Evening News", making her the first woman to be sole anchor of a network nightly news broadcast.

  

April 5, 2006

NCAA Women's Tourney Slow to Gain Audience
The Maryland Terrapins won the 2006 NCAA woman's basketball tournament in a dramatic comeback against the Duke Blue Devils but twenty-five years after the first women's tournament, women's basketball still trails men's in attendance, revenue and television coverage.

  

MARCH
March 30, 2006

American Reporter Jim Carroll Released in Iraq
American reporter Jill Carroll spoke today in Baghdad after she was released from nearly three months in captivity. Following a background report, two colleagues discuss Carroll's release.

  

March 28, 2006

Buchwald on Choosing How to Live and Die
Eighty-year-old humorist and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Art Buchwald is suffering from kidney failure. He recently made public his decision to forego dialysis that could possibly prolong his life, at what he considers too burdensome a cost. In the following interview, Buchwald discusses his life, death and laughter.

  

March 27, 2006

Paper Chronicles New Orleans Recovery, Advocates for City's Survival
The 169-year-old New Orleans Times-Picayune has found itself tested by Hurricane Katrina in unprecedented ways. A report on the newspaper's changing role after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

  

March 24, 2006

President Bush Launches New PR Offensive on Iraq
Mark Shields and David Brooks analyze the Iraq war's impact on politics and public opinion. The two columnists also discuss President Bush's public relations offensive, and the debate over an immigration bill in the House.

  

March 22, 2006

Media Coverage of the Ongoing Conflict in Iraq Draws Scrutiny
President Bush expressed frustration with the media's coverage of the continuing violence in Iraq saying there was not enough coverage of U.S. efforts to rebuild the country. Two experts offer their analysis of the press coverage of the Iraq War.

  

March 21, 2006

Experts Discuss The President's Comments on Iraq
President Bush took questions from the White House press corps Tuesday about Iraq, his Cabinet and the public's confidence in the administration, among other issues. Experts assess the president's efforts.

  

March 17, 2006

Discontent Continues to Grow with U.S. Handling of Iraq War
Columnist Tom Oliphant and New York Times Columnist David Brooks discuss a new book critiquing the Bush administration's pre-war planning, the continued drop in American support for the president's Iraq policy, the Feingold censure measure and more from the week's news.

  

March 16, 2006

FCC Fines Stations for $3.6 Million for 'Indecent' Programs
A government crackdown on indecent programming has resulted in a proposed fine of $3.6 million against dozens of CBS stations and affiliates -- a record penalty from the Federal Communications Commission. Two advocates debate the FCC's move.

  

March 13, 2006

McClatchy Co. Buys Knight Ridder Inc.
A reports on Monday's deal by the McClatchy Co. to buy Knight-Ridder Inc., the second largest U.S. newspaper publisher, for about $4.5 billion in cash and stock. Experts consider the sale and what it says about the future of the newspaper industry.

  

March 9, 2006

Newspaper Chains Face Tough Financial Challenges
Thursday was the final day for companies to submit their financial plans for bids on the Knight Ridder Co., the nation's second largest newspaper chain. Jeffrey Brown gives a Media Unit report on the financial pressures at large newspaper chains.

  

March 2, 2006

Photos From Civil Rights Era Published for First Time
Jeffrey Brown reports on a Birmingham newspaper's first publishing of powerful protest and demonstration photos taken during the civil rights era. Brown speaks with a former intern who discovered the photos and the reporter who wrote the accompanying article.

FEBRUARY
Feb. 27, 2006

Olympics Ratings Lowest Since 1992
NBC aired hundreds of hours of prime time coverage of this year's Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, but saw the lowest overall ratings since the 1992 games in Albertville, France. Two guests discuss NBC's Olympic coverage and the reasons for low primetime ratings.

  

Feb. 20, 2006

Roger Rosenblatt Talks About His New Book
Jeffrey Brown speaks with NewsHour regular Roger Rosenblatt about his new novel, "Lapham Rising."

Feb. 14, 2006

Press, White House React to Cheney Accident
Vice President Dick Cheney has not issued a public statement concerning a hunting trip where he accidentally shot a fellow hunter. A Washington Post reporter discusses how the press handled the incident as well as the White House's reaction.

Feb. 9, 2006

Journalists Debate the Publishing of Offensive Cartoons
After a Shiite march in Lebanon turned into a protest against cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, U.S. news organizations differed in their handling the Muslim cartoons. Three journalists debate whether to publish the cartoons in the United States.

  

Feb. 6, 2006

Violence Erupts over Muhammad Cartoons
Demonstrations continued across the Muslim world against cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad that were published in several European papers. After a background report, two guests discuss the causes of the controversy and the role of Muslims living in Europe.

  

Feb. 2, 2006

Cartoons Provoke Anger Across Muslim World
Political cartoons published in European newspapers depicting the Prophet Muhammad against Islamic law caused a controversy across the Muslim world. Following a background report, two guests discuss the reaction and opposition to these cartoons.

  

JANUARY
Jan. 30, 2006

Roadside Bombing Injures ABC News Anchorman Bob Woodruff
A Media Unit report on the roadside bombing that severely injured ABC News anchorman Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt, followed by a discussion with a colleague of theirs.

  

Jan. 27, 2006

Oprah Retracts Support of Frey Memoir
Oprah Winfrey brought James Frey, author of "A Million Little Pieces," a memoir about drug addiction, back on her show to answer charges that he lied to her and his readers by fabricating parts of the book. A cultural historian discusses the cultural impact of Winfrey's show and the Oprah Book Club.

  

Jan. 24, 2006

Post Web Site Halts Comments Section
The Washington Post's Web site recently shut down the viewer comments section of one of its weblogs after an article by the Post's ombudsman caused a flood of complaints.

  

Jan. 23, 2006

PBS Names New York Public Broadcasting Exec New President
PBS announced Monday that Paula Kerger, an executive with more than a decade of experience working with public television in New York City, would take the helm of the national public broadcaster on March 21.

Jan. 20, 2006

Google Rebuffs Government Subpoena
A Media Unit report examines Google's fight against a government subpoena requesting access to the search records of millions of people. Two guests discuss what the case could mean for individual privacy protection in the 21st century.

  

Jan. 18, 2006

Christian Science Monitor Reporter Kidnapped in Iraq
A Media Unit report on the kidnapping of journalist Jill Carroll in Iraq. Her captors released a videotape of her on Wednesday. The kidnappers threatened to execute the 28-year-old if U.S. authorities do not release all Iraqi women in military custody within 72 hours.

  

Jan. 13, 2006

James Frey Controversy Raises Issues of Fiction in Memoirs
Accusations that author James Frey fabricated parts of his memoir, "A Million Little Pieces" has sparked a controvery over publishing fiction in a memoir.

  

Jan. 8, 2006

High-Definition DVD Wars Take Shape
In a competition reminiscent of the Betamax/VHS battle 20 years ago, two new high-definition DVD formats are set for a high-stakes showdown in 2006.

Jan. 6, 2006

Media's Timing Questioned on West Virginia Mining and NSA Eavesdropping
Two recent news stories have raised questions about how the media operate: the media's premature announcement that some of the workers trapped in a West Virginia coal mine were alive, and the timing of stories on domestic spying by the National Security Agency.

  

Jan. 2, 2006

Former Syrian Vice President Faces Treason Charges after TV Interview
Officials in Damascus and the U.N. continued to react to the explosive allegations made by the former Syrian vice president in which he said Syrian President Bashar Assad threatened Rafik Hariri several months before Hariri was assassinated.