media

Tina Brown Is 'Done With' Hype; Pigs Fly

Hamilton Nolan · 02/21/11 11:25AM

To say that Tina Brown is more fond of hype than any other major magazine editor is not necessarily to say anything bad about her; it's just to point out that she is Tina Brown—the editor who pathologically loves to celebrate celebrity. The editor whose Talk magazine launch party defined an entire era of media excess! It's worked for her. But suddenly, she's shy and retiring?

Nir Rosen Now Understands Twitter Better Than Anyone

Hamilton Nolan · 02/17/11 10:30AM

Nir Rosen was known as an author and pundit with extensive experience in the Middle East—until this week, when he became known as the guy who was forced to resign from his position at NYU after thoughtlessly mocking Lara Logan on Twitter. To Rosen's credit, he has been forthright and effusive in his apologies, and has repeatedly admitted that he did something stupid. So what wisdom can he share with the rest of us, as a man who has suffered the wrath of a global internet backlash? NYU Local scores an interview with Rosen, in which he says:

ESPN Just Doesn't Care About This 'Journalism' Crap

Hamilton Nolan · 02/15/11 02:19PM

In your essential Tuesday media column: ESPN anchors in shameless sellout agreement, NPR is not going to die, Lawrence O'Donnell howls at the moon, Here Media loses in court, Mothering magazine folds its print edition, and we help The Daily.

Koch Industries Cannot Buy Decent PR Advice

Hamilton Nolan · 02/14/11 09:52AM

Koch Industries is—and we say this strictly in the spirit of presenting their prevalent public image in an unfiltered manner—an evil mysterious Death Star-like conglomerate controlled by two unimaginably wealthy unaccountable right-wing billionaire brothers, who are evil. The Koch brothers have made news recently for hosting a secret conservative conclave to plot who-knows-what, and for harassing journalists. They're also suing a group of pranksters who issued a fake Koch press release. Today, the NYT gave the company a chance to defend itself in the court of public opinion. Anddddd....

Weed-Selling Reporter Not Great at Either Job

Hamilton Nolan · 02/11/11 03:10PM

In your finally Friday media column: journalism's least competent weed dealer located, a Wikileaks smear scheme exposed, Rupert Murdoch believes in himself, AP employees put their cars on strike, and Eminem only speaks to middle school news outlets.

Prototypical Member of Liberal Media Elite Writing Roger Ailes Book

Hamilton Nolan · 02/10/11 05:40PM

Paranoid, vindictive, and possibly insane Fox News boss Roger Ailes has been sitting for interview with every elitist pinko rag in America lately. Now, the bizarre, crowning achievement: New York magazine's Gabriel Sherman is writing an entire book on Fox News, centering on Roger Ailes. The "insidery" media "story behind the story" here is, Gabriel Sherman is not the type one would naturally consider to be a friend of Fox News. Given Ailes' insatiable desire to shoot his mouth off with self-justificatory diatribes, this should be interesting.

Will HuffPo 'Taint' AOL's Brand? (No)

Hamilton Nolan · 02/10/11 02:27PM

In your crippled Thursday media column: Magic Johnson saves Vibe, some jokers think AOL's brand can be "tainted," another departure from the NY Daily News, schadenfreude at CBS News, and News Corp's kitchen furniture police are out in full force.