Heard on NPR this morning.
“Barack Obama woke up this morning in Cleveland, site of last night’s debate, with Hillary Clinton.”
Now, there may have been one fewer comma in that sentence, but that’s not what it sounded like. Maybe you should have reworded that, NPR.
This is actually more of a free speech case. It’s disappointing on both levels.
I just found out that Ms. Chris Comer was forced to resign as the director of the Texas Education Agency. (I wished she would have forced a firing – but everyone much choose their own battles.) She was forced to step down for forwarding an email about a lecture.
Her interview on NPR’s Science Friday was horrifying to listen to. I had to respond to the chron’s Science Guy, who reads as defending the state’s stance, with the following:
Eric,
You’re going to invoke Richard Smalley, born in 1943 in Ohio, raised in Missouri, schooled at Hope College, University of Michigan, and Princeton – as proof that today’s state of public science education is healthy?The mere fact that Ms. Comer was ejected from the Texas Education Agency under such ridiculous circumstances is case enough to state that there is a HUGE problem!
It’s also sad, that the link you had to provide was from the Austin American-Statesman, and a google searching of chron.com provides me a dead link.
Did the editorial board address this issue? Though it’s of minimal effect, it’s something they should have done!
I expect heads to roll over this. I will be sorely disappointed.
What was the deal with Tim Russert asking UFO questions to Dennis Kucinich during a presidential debate? I certainly was asking myself that. So was Senator Mike Gravel who is also a presidential candidate but was excluded from that same debate.
What’s up with the Democratic Party for allowing a network to exclude one of the candidates?
On Monday the Chronicle stated in their editorial that:
Finally, former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, who got his start in Houston, wrote a sad footnote to his mostly distinguished career when he sued his old employers for $70 million. The suit alleges that CBS made Rather a scapegoat for an inaccurate story about George W. Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard. Whatever the network executives’ sins, they don’t deserve to be punished to that degree after paying Rather millions per year long after he had passed his prime.
Rather’s suit, while presenting a weak case against CBS, makes a wounding case against his own prowess as a broadcast journalist. Despite the fact that Rather bore the title of managing editor of CBS News, he alleges in his suit that he bore no responsibility for the content or accuracy of his broadcasts: The mighty network anchor is revealed for what he or she is, merely a familiar face reading from a teleprompter reports he or she had nothing to do with preparing.
I had to respond:
To: viewpoints@chron.com
Subject: True ColorsThe Houston Chronicle’s Editorial Board showed their ties to the corporation are stronger than those to the journalist when they decided to chastise Dan Rather (Mistakes, Sept 24).
His lawsuit is more about forcing the big boys (which includes Viacom and The Hearst Corporation) to allow journalism ferret out the truth. When you are in fear of your job, you can’t be an objective journalist!
Whether you believe in the veracity of Mr. Rather’s initial report or not (the report stand whether the pieces in question are legitimate or not – and they have not been proven false), the ability of The Press (which means the foot pounding journalist, not the Corporation) to seek the truth was damaged by his summary termination.
-Bill Shirley
Houston, Texas
I should have added “this lawsuit isn’t for himself, it’s for the Cub Reporter”.
There is a great pool on flickr called “DRM is like…”
Digital Rights Management. It’s only on legally purchased music and keeps you from doing things that are legal to do with purchased music. It’s what makes “squirted” music on Zunes only play three times. It’s what makes NBC’s new “free video service” (with commercials) only allow you to view a TV show for a week. (How long will that VHS tape of Heroes last?)
How long till it dies out? I’m really interested to see the end game. Open media is the only answer.
In something so boneheaded it’s bound to fail, NBC (who previously withdrew video content from iTunes) will now be providing proprietary DRM’d video downloads of their programming that expire after a week. And it only works on Windows.
“With the creation of this new service, we are acknowledging that now, more than ever, viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they consumer [sic] their favorite entertainment,†said Vivi Zigler, Executive Vice President, NBC Digital Entertainment. “Not only does this feature give them more control, but it also gives them a higher quality video experience.†[emphasis mine]
That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. How is requiring software that works only for NBC, and plays only on your computer (no other devices), possiby giving you more control!
No more Heroes on your Apple.
Oh, and NBC, hire someone with an English degree to editor your press releases.