Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee members wonder why the price of cable TV has risen 50% since deregulation: Key members of a Senate Committee lashed out at the cable television industry yesterday for repeatedly raising rates on service that effectively forces consumers to subscribe to dozens of channels they …
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Maxim, Stuff and FHM Looking More Like Playboy – Playboy Looking More Like Them
Coincidence? Wal-Mart just dumped the three “lad mags” for being a little too much like Playboy. Playboy announces its “lad mag” makeover: Playboy’s new editor James Kaminsky says he’s got a magazine for you. After months of nips and tucks to stop the signs of aging at the 50-year-old publication, …
Read More »No It’s Not Over: Radio DJs Suspended for Playing Dixie Chicks
With their concert tour off to a rousing start a few days ago, it appeared the Dixie Chicks’ nightmare was about over. But no, the controversy just won’t go gently into that goodnight: two DJ’s were suspended from country station KKCS in Colorado Springs for playing the Chicks: “We pulled …
Read More »Wal-Mart and the Compressed Culture
We are very concerned about the concentration of the media into fewer and fewer hands, but what about retail? Wal-Mart is the world’s biggest company, it is the biggest private employer in the US, it sells 36% of all dog food, 32% of disposable diapers, 30% of photographic film, 26% …
Read More »Study Says Violent Lyrics Increase Aggression
A study released yesterday by the American Psychological Association says songs with violent lyrics increase aggression related thoughts and emotions, contrary to popular myths about providing a catharsis: In a series of five experiments involving over 500 college students, researchers from Iowa State University and the Texas Department of Human …
Read More »RealNetworks Offers Mobile Media
Music, sports, news and entertainment audio and video to mobile phones and handheld computers from Real starting today: Seattle, Washington-based RealNetworks, which makes software used to send and receive audio-visual content over the Web, said that devices such as Nokia’s 3650 camera-phone and Palm Inc.’s Tungsten T and Zire 71 …
Read More »Musicians Oppose FCC Deregulation of Media Ownership
Today a letter co-signed by a bewilderingly diverse list of musicians (Toby Keith and Ian MacKaye?) was sent to FCC’s chairman Michael Powell. The letter urges the FCC to grant Congress and the public a full opportunity to review any proposed changes of media ownership rules before they are enacted. …
Read More »Surrendermonkeyvision
But I joke. France wants its own version of CNN to spread its propaganda, er, worldview: It turns out that French President Jacques Chirac does have a battle plan. Late last month he called for a 24-hour news channel, dubbed “CNN à la française,” that will push the French point …
Read More »Arab TV Wants Iraqi Information Minister
The Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite channel seeks Baghdad Bob’s “experience” and “analysis of the current situation and the future of Iraq”: Al-Sahhaf, who has not been seen since shortly before Baghdad fell to U.S. forces last month, could be back on TV with one phone call to Ali al-Hadethi, the supervisor …
Read More »“Slut” Rips War Coverage, Commits Professional Hara-kiri
Move over Peter Arnett, here comes Ashleigh Banfield on the fast track to Arab satellite TV: NBC News correspondent Ashleigh Banfield has ripped television news networks, including her own, for their “glorious” coverage of the Iraqi war and a lack of focus on international news overall. In a speech Thursday …
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