David Simon, the creator and executive producer of HBO's The Wire fends off criticism from journalists on his portrayal of their profession. Simon, a former police reporter for The Baltimore Sun, appeared on NPR to talk about his magnificent chronicle of the inner city on decline. ''Journalism is a little bit self-absorbed and onanistic,'' he told Fresh Air's Terry Gross. Simon said that journalists generally loved the show when he painted a cynical picture of the police detectives and teachers, but when it came to the newspapers ...

HBO's The Wire concludes this Sunday. Listen to the interview on NPR here.

(image via slate)