Al Gore and Tom Friedman Blame Britney (Slate)
Jack Shafer: Gore is right to fault celebrity news for blotting out coverage of climate change, health care, immigration, and international relations in such policy journals as People, Star, In Touch, and US Weekly and on such public-affairs programs as Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, and E! News. But a more generous definition of the press would find Gore's argument lacking.

Couric Staying, Says Former CBS Prez (LAT)
CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric isn't going anywhere, despite her difficulty in building a bigger audience for the show eight months into her tenure, former CBS News president Andrew Heyward said. CBS took a big but necessary gamble by bringing on Couric to replace Bob Schieffer in the chair previously held by Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite, Heyward said at a media conference in Manhattan on Wednesday.

Oregon Public Broadcaster To Distribute Controversial Islam Program (B&C)
Oregon Public Broadcasting has agreed to distribute controversial documentary Islam vs. Islamists: Voices From the Muslim Center after PBS said the show was incomplete and would not distribute it as delivered. "As it stood, it did not meet our editorial standards," said a PBS spokeswoman. "We felt that it was missing some context." PBS asked the producers to add that context but, "they believe the film is done," she said. Steve Bass, president and CEO or Oregon Public Broadcasting, concluded stations should have the opportunity to make their own decision about airing the show.

Meddling Is What Media Moguls Do (Forbes)
Jim Brady: Does Rupert Murdoch meddle in editorial? Does a black bear sleep in the woods? Is the Pope a Catholic? Are you kidding me? This is what press lords do. From Lord Northcliffe to Lord Beaverbrook on Fleet Street to Pulitzer and Hearst and Luce.

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