In your unexpected Thursday media column: Michael Moore's reputation as the foremost authority on newspapers is challenged, the Sun-Times' unions play a dangerous game, Jenna Bush does a TV thing, and Alex Balk is persecuted without end.

Counterpoint to Michael Moore's analysis of the US newspaper industry's problems: He forgot about Craigslist, and also, newspapers in Britain are having a shitty time too, contrary to his assertions that their reliance on circulation revenue meant their quality stayed high and, therefore, so did their revenue.. Hopefully this will spark some sort of outburst from Michael Moore, is the point.


The Sun-Times, a typical flailing newspaper company, has the good fortune to be wanted, by a buyer. But that buyer put forth a package of cutbacks, and the unions of various Sun-Times papers are rejecting those cutbacks. Which, to be fair, certainly would suck! [The company can you move you to a different location, for example]. But! The union's opposition could potentially torpedo the whole deal. A union is not much good once your company goes bankrupt, and you are unemployed. Oh fine: except the hobo union.


Did you catch Jenna Bush's debut as a correspondent for the Today show this morning? Let's hope not.


The media: Is it conspiring to steal the term "Summer of Death" from Alex Balk, with no credit? Everybody besides skateboarders thinks so.