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Errol Morris has been accused of being a misanthrope, but Weekly Dig Editor Joe Keohane writes that the director of the documentary about former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara obsesses too much over humanity to be judged guilty of hating it. Morris may think we're doomed by a combination of human folly and weapons of mass destruction, but he hopes awareness could keep us from engaging in endless wars. "People ask me if I would like this [film] to be shown to the current administration," Morris tells Keohane. "You betcha. Let's strap them down in seats and force them all to watch 'The Fog of War.'"

Continue Reading“Fog of War” Director Hints at Idealism

The Houston Chronicle obtains only brief comments from Tim Fleck, the 57-year-old author of the weekly column The Insider, and Houston Press Editor Margaret Downing, about the circumstances of the departure. Others assess the impact of Fleck's acerbic political coverage. In his last column for the Press, Fleck writes about Congressional candidate Lloyd "Ted" Poe, known for the shame sentences he handed out as district judge, and the time Poe underwent his own moment of shame.

Continue ReadingLongtime Political Writer Leaves Houston Press
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" Roger Stone, the longtime Republican dirty-tricks operative who led the mob that shut down the Miami-Dade County recount and helped make George W. Bush president in 2000, is financing, staffing, and orchestrating the presidential campaign of Reverend Al Sharpton," the senior editor of The Village Voice reports. Wayne Barrett leads a team of reporters and researchers who uncover Stone's role in Sharpton's campaign and trace the Republican's subsidies to Sharpton's National Action Network. "Stone is apparently confident that he can use the Democrat-bashing preacher to damage the party's eventual nominee," Barrett writes.

Continue ReadingFlorida Republican Plays Pivotal Role in Al Sharpton Campaign

If you want to know where ad spending is heading this year, follow tech and the male libido. Experts expect a big spike in advertising for Viagra-like pharmaceuticals (that already started with Super Bowl spots), for cell phones, for discount retailers and home-improvement stores battling for market share, and for big-box stores that are finally seeing a boom in the DTV market.

Continue ReadingCell, Big-Box, Love Drugs Emerge as 2004’s Hot Ad Categories

MoveOn.org, the Web-based liberal advocacy group, draws admiration from Democrats and provokes grudging respect from Republicans for its canny use of the Internet to recruit membership and deliver its anti-Bush message. The organization, which claims more than 1.4 million members in the United States, made headlines last month with its contest to select 30-second anti-Bush television spots.

Continue ReadingMoveOn.org Targets “Elite” Through Newspaper Ads
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Since suffering two life-threatening illnesses four years ago, the state's Senate president, Robert Travaglini, has adopted a conciliatory approach toward his colleagues. Next week the 51-year-old—who is pro-civil-union but draws the line at matrimony—will preside over a debate about amending the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. Boston Phoenix writer Adam Reilly profiles the man who will lead legislators' response to Wednesday's Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling that the state must allow gay marriage. "What, exactly, " Reilly asks, "are the long-term ramifications of a governing style based on sharing power and making people feel good?"

Continue ReadingMassachusetts Considers Anti-Gay-Marriage Amendment
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John Edwards may have won South Carolina but the Rev. Al Sharpton captured the attention of a crowd in Greensville, S.C., by specifically addressing the issues that worry people. "We are tired of imitation Republicans leading this party," he tells MetroBEAT news editor James Shannon. Edwards and front-runner John Kerry both seemed to be playing defense, Shannon writes.

Continue ReadingSouth Carolina Audience Comes Alive When Al Sharpton Takes the Stage

The Wall Street Journal wasn't so interested in coverage of poverty and urban issues, or critical analyses of people in power. So in 1968 Roldo Bartimole left that paper and devoted the next 35 years to writing for alternative publications, living on the modest pay that comes with that pursuit. For 10 years he wrote a column for the Cleveland Free Times, leaving when Village Voice Media shut down the since-revived paper in 2002. He also wrote for the Cleveland Edition in the 1980s and, most recently, for an African-American weekly, City News. Now 70, Roldo is giving up his one-man newsletter, "Point of View," to retire. New York Times reporter Walter Bogdanich tells E&P that even the targets of Bartimole's barbs had to admire his courage in following through on his beliefs.

Continue ReadingColumnist Once Called “The Poor Man’s Tom Paine” Retires

"This was the definition of silly," a Republican council member says of the Cincinnati City Council's move to subpoena Leslie Blade to talk about her investigative piece. Having Blade testify brought the council no more information than reading the story, he says. Blade refused to answer a few questions during her half-hour appearance before the council Tuesday but said she wrote the article because "you're talking about public funds—about public trust—and the rules should be followed."

Continue ReadingSubpoenaed CityBeat Reporter Tells Council Why She Wrote about Police Pay Abuse

Last year was not an easy one for US newspapers. A lacklustre job market made for empty recruitment pages. Cutbacks in department store advertising hurt retail category revenues. And troubles in the tourism industry translated into thin travel sections. But there was a bright spot. National advertisers, from entertainment groups to carmakers, showed an increasing willingness to launch their products, promote their brands and supplement other media campaigns in newspapers.

Continue ReadingDailies Post 6.5% Rise in Nationals in 2003