Don Hewitt (1922-2009)

Yesterday it was political columnist, conservative, and tv host Robert Novak who died at the age of 78 from the effects of brain cancer.

Today its being reported that a more respected and dare I say pioneering figure Don Hewitt,a producer-director of the CBS Evening newscast in televisions infantacy and who later went on to become the mind and Executive producer behind the tv news weekly magazine 60 Minutes in 1968, until 2004 has died at the age of 86. The generation of sterling pioneering giants in the field of television journalism still alive seems to be sadly growing smaller and smaller.

Free Maziar Bahari

Last night on the Rachel Maddow Show, I heard about Newsweek Iranian correspondent Maziar Bahari , who has been held prisoner by the government in Iran, in the wake of the intensity and disputes of that country’s Presidential election.

In the past he his coverage has been praised by the Iranian government who has given him clearance to do his job. But since June 21, he has been held by the government, who has alleged he presented coverage aimed at undermining the government in a plot to remove the government there from power.

By all accounts, he sounds like a journalist who reported objectively and is now being held (and even forced to give a false confession) all because he was merely reporting the facts and doing his job.

Sign this petition that action be taken to free Maziar Bahari now.

The Text Generation

The Internet, cellphones, text messaging, and social networking sites have immensely altered how people interact, do business, and as the New York Times finds even the morning rituals.

For generations; staggering out of bed, going to the bathroom, and either vying for the shower or being seated together at the kitchen table with the house patriarch with a face veiled by the newsprint of the morning edition of the newspaper; as the mother darts about the kitchen in a discombobulated state, and the children scurry about. But since them the nuclear family has changed and so have morning activities, as family members increasingly find themselves immersed in their own personal digital universes either on their lap tops or in the palms of their hands (i.e cellphones, video games, and blackberries).

Woodstock Goes Satelite

This month it will be four decades since the three day concert and festival that shook the world and marked the high point of the 1960s counterculture.

Now, Sirius XM satellite radio has announced that it will dedicate Sirius channel 16 to three days of Woodstock recordings, coverage, and conversation.

In the meantime though, above is Jimi Hendrix at the 1969 festival wailing out a rendition of the star spangled banner on his guitar, the way only Hendrix could.

The Changing World of Print Journalism

Following over a century in print, diminishing advertising revenues and a tectonic shift in the world of news print; the Ann Arbor News newspaper ceased its daily print edition Thursday. Instead it will release print editions only on Thursdays and Fridays; and shift the bulk of its energy as well as editorial and news gathering resources towards its website.

Fox News and Genetics

Once a cable news morning talk show host has made comments basically saying Americans are, “marry other species”, Fox News realizes you may have gone over the line.

But wishing death on U.S soldiers captured by our enemies and accusing them of desertion, is still okay? Damn, Fox News sets such high standards.

Breaking

Legendary CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite has died at the age of 92. Cronkite was said to have been in a bout with vascular artery disease. Developing……

Iranian Wrap-up: 7/17/09

After a fairly subdued period at least from the vantage point of those of us outside Iran and the Middle Eastern region, tension between Iranian reform elements and the regime have picked up steam again.

On Thursday it was announced that the chief of Iran’s atomic Energy operations and Vice President Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh, tendered and gave to President Mahmoud Amadinejad his resignation three weeks ago. Explanation has not been publicly given for his abdication. Meanwhile this Friday a Prayer meeting led by ex-Iranian Prime Minister Rafsinjani, excoriated the regime for its treatment of protesters and conduct following the election, and have demanded the release of those protesters imprisoned. It is said that the crowds have periodically broken out into chants of “freedom” and others calling for “death to the dictator” a statement directed at the Supreme Leader Sayid Ali Khomeni.

Security forces including elements of the pro government Baji militia have gassed and beaten demonstrators according to reports, and many have been arrested. Top reformist politicians are said to have been present at the sermons that have been broadcast uninterrupted on radio. One of Iran’s televisions stations also for the first time is said to have aired some footage of the unrest in the Iranian capital city.

Also in a strange incident reminiscent of the 1979 Iranian Revolution when protesters, young bearded men of college background flooded the streets, setting flags ablaze and labeling America “the Great Satan” is said to have been occurring in Iran’s Palestinian Square. There are some shouting from speakers “death to America” and “death to Isreal”, but the shouters seem not to realize that the dynamics have shifted and the masses allegedly are returning those shouts with angry statements directed towards China and Russia, who have recognized the election of Ahmadinejad. Speaking of Ahmadinejad, the Iranian intelligence community has now emerged with a claim that the Israelis tried to assassinate him, a claim that doesn’t seem to be as effective for him politically as it used to.

Many including myself thought that the brute force of the Iranian state would have been too much for the resistance movement to surmount at this point. After all it is Ahmadinejad, the Grand leader, and others entrenched in power have the armaments, the media, and many other instruments of the nation at their disposal. Yet the combination of the youthful; protesters, their outrage at the election and desires for a new vision for the Iranian state, and the encouragement they now receive from powerful figures in the councils the country’s political and religious communities have allowed the reformist movement and anti-Ahmadinejad elements to be more resilent then in the past.

Here are some of the chants being recited by Iranian protesters:

* “Down with this people-fooling government!” (Marg bar in dolat-e mardom-farib)
* “Coup d’etat government, step down!” (Dolat-e kudeta, estefa, estefa!)
* “As long as it’s Ahmadinejad, every day shall be thus!” (Ta Ahmadinejad-e, har rooz hamin basat-e!)
* “Die Mojtaba, before you see the Leadership!” (Mojtaba bemiri, rahbari o nabini!) [in ref. to Khamenei’s son]
* “We are not chaff — we are the nation!” (Ma khashak nistim, mellat hastim!) [in ref. to Ahmadinejad labeling protesters ‘chaff’]
* “Political prisoners must be freed!” (Zendani siasi, azad bayad gardad!)

Before Rafsanjani began his sermon, a chant addressed to him warned:

* “If you maintain silence, you commit treason!” (Agar sokut koni, khaeni!)

Poll: 64% say news Media over doing Michael Jackson Death too Heavily, blacks following story closer then non-blacks.

Apparently, I am not the only one who thinks the Michael Jackson coverage has been too much.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nearly two in three Americans say news organizations have given too much coverage to the death of Michael Jackson, but half say the media have struck the right balance between covering the pop star’s personal life and musical career.

In a Pew Research Center poll published Wednesday, 64 percent of those surveyed said Jackson’s death last week in Los Angeles has received too much coverage, 29 percent said the story received the right amount and 3 percent said the story got too little attention.

Thirty percent said they followed the story very closely, though that number jumped to 80 percent among blacks, according to the independent public opinion research group.

Pew interviewed about 1,000 adults for the poll, which has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percentage points.

I acknowledge that Michael Jackson was a trailblazing force in music and the recording industry at one time, but its time to move on. Its just between the custody battles, Michael Jackson’s will, inquires into how he died, and examinations of his eccentricities for a week straight now is more than a bit much, and has already begun to morph into a giant soap opera.

Iran Wrap-up 6/23

Cartoon from Watergate Summer (H/T: The Tehran Buerua)

Day 11 of the demonstrations against the controversial presidential election in Iran. Anyway the Iranian government has conceded that the election wasn’t quite as clean as they initially stated, as in a number of districts their were more ballots issued then there were people. But for all those hoping for the results to be nullified and a new fairer election to be held, the government has dismissed such calls. After all, I am sure those who received the extra ballots just ended up using them as scrap paper.

TEHRAN, Iran – Government authorities stepped up their crackdown on protesters yesterday, as Iranian officials for the first time acknowledged evidence of voting irregularities in this month’s presidential election, the issue that has sparked the largest street demonstrations since the Islamic Republic was established three decades ago.

An initial probe into the June 12 presidential election has shown that the number of ballots cast exceeded the number of registered voters in 50 locales, a discrepancy affecting three million votes or more, according to the spokesman for the Guardian Council, a body of jurists and clerics in charge of safeguarding the country’s constitution.

The council will deliver its final verdict on the disputed election by tomorrow, according to a report by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Meanwhile, officials announced plans to set up a special court and warned that anyone who encouraged more demonstrations – including opposition figurehead Mir Hossein Mousavi – was subject to arrest.

In some of its sternest remarks yet, the Revolutionary Guard announced that anyone who continued to confront the security forces “will be considered a threat” to the system, the news agency reported.

“The guardians of the Islamic Revolution and the courageous Basiji,” a pro-government militia, “are determined to act strongly to return peace and tranquillity to society,” the statement said.

Despite the warnings, Mousavi, who the government announced suffered a landslide defeat to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called on his supporters yesterday to gather their strength and continue peaceful protests, sharpening his conflict with the government.

In other Iran related news, Iran has expelled two British diplomats and Britain has expelled two Iranian diplomats A free lance journalist for the Washington Times has reportedly been detained by the Iranian government.

Meanwhile violence against demonstrators has continued and the heart wrenching story of Neda has been heard more and more after this weekend the bullet from the gun of a pro-government militia firing on a hoard of protesters strayed, before striking and killing the unarmed 26 year old girl, who many Janissary’s of the Ahmadinejad allied political establishment are calling a terrorist.

Meanwhile in Iran news related to America, long shot Republican primary candidate for the U.S Senate Marco Rubio says that Iran needs more guns. I am all for gun ownership and the right to bear arms, but Iran and the Middle East for that matter now need more guns about as much as they need more bombs, more religion, and more oil.