LAT’s James Rainey who’s been penning media hit pieces sans actually interviewing the subjects (see Jill Stewart and Jillian Reynolds) decided to write about Nikki Finke. Did he interview her? Quote her? Fawn over her? Oh you betcha!

“Why?” we wondered. Then we read his explanation in his column:

Finke’s words came faster and faster as she rushed to make me understand her rebuttal. She called back repeatedly about this column, and sought out one of my colleagues, then my editor, to complain that I and The Times clearly planned to attack her.

He’s scared of Nikki. There’s the formula journos: scare the crap out of Rainey and his piece on you will be evenhanded.