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In an attempt to show Seth Mnookin that he is too a serious journalist, Jon Friedman takes on the most important issue facing media today: Katie Couric. Specifically, her recent listening tour. As it turns out, it wasn't exactly the serious news event that we all thought. No, says Jon, it was actually an opportunity "for CBS and Couric to get a ton of fluffy publicity while controlling the flow of information and the tone of the coverage." See, while you or I perceived Katie visiting kids in cancer wards or telling the people of Seattle about the cleanliness of her colon as a public rethinking of the newsanchor's role in modern journalism, Jon dug deep into the story and teased out the truth: It was all about Katie.

Jon, we are in your debt. Maybe next week you can answer the vexing question of whether "News You Can Use" is either.

Katie Couric's listening tour is just a gimmick [Marketwatch]

Earlier: Jon Friedman Finds Way to Make Time Magazine Even More Boring: He Writes About It