Fox News Uber Alles?
Ted Turner yesterday called Fox News a propaganda arm of the Bush administration and indirectly compared the channel's popularity to Adolf Hitler's in pre-WWII Germany. NYP: A Fox News spokesperson responded: "Ted is understandably bitter having lost his ratings, his network, and now his mind."

Satellites to Join Orbit?
Executives from Sirius and XM satellite radio companies have been meeting lately to discuss the possibility of a merger.

New Chief Learns Conde Playbook
Tom Scocca: By accepting the company's top editorial job, Thomas Wallace suddenly finds himself enrolled in a crash course in publishing, with only the sketchiest syllabus.

Celeb Mag Wars Intense as Ever
In Touch, the $1.99 magazine that is only two years old, is expected to report it sold about one million copies a week on the newsstands in the second half of 2004.

Canadian Newspaper War Cools
The Globe and Mail editor-in-chief Edward Greenspon said that times have changed since the heavy competition following the arrival of the National Post as a competitor in 1998.

Powell's Departure Won't Ease Crankiness
Tim Goodman: Michael Powell, whose legacy stands at misinterpreting the mandate of the FCC, allowing media conglomeration, and playing morality cop for the entire country, is stepping down.

Bleak Future for Newspapers?
John McManus: Newspapers have been crying "wolf" since the '30s when they asked the government to block radio news. But now the wolf really is at the door. Or wolves.

Another Columnist Paid for Bush Play
Syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher was paid $21,500 to help promote President Bush's push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage.

The Death of the Sports Column
Stephen Rodrick: Being a columnist at a major daily paper was once every sportswriter's dream job. Now, a column is just a gig on your way to becoming a multimedia star.

Battle Star
Star Jones pulled a one-day "sickout" from The View when ABC execs insisted on deleting all the plugs she gave to her wedding suppliers in a special airing tomorrow night.

NBC Readies American Office
The adaptation has a lot to live up to: The British original picked up two Golden Globes last year—best comedy and best comedy actor for co-creator and star Ricky Gervais.

60 Minutes Doc Expert Slams CBS Report
Marcel Matley, one of four document experts consulted by CBS News while reporting its September 8, 2004, report on Bush, referred to the report's treatment of him as "defamation."

Short Leash for Tense Media in Iraq
Joe Hagan: Iraq's Ministry of Interior issued a memo on January 18 warning that Iraq would not assume liability for any American media outlets on the scene for the January 30 elections.

Paris Under Review
"I thought we'd made great strides," said Brigid Hughes, days after the board of directors of The Paris Review announced that they would not renew her contract as executive editor.

'Local Man' Ubiquitous
Peter Carlson: Local Man doesn't have a publicist, but he gets more ink than Madonna or Michael Jackson. In some newspapers, he appears in more headlines than the president.

Hard Times in Seattle
Philip Dawdy: There had to be a reckoning at The Seattle Times after five years of losses. Two weeks ago, the paper said it would lay off as many as 110 of its 1,500 employees.

Oscar Snubs Controversy
Jon Friedman: Say this for Hollywood: It gives equal-opportunity snubs when it comes to handing out Oscar nominations to controversial movies.

Wartime Taboo Ignored by Media
Norman Solomon: Why is the media ignoring the option of quick withdrawal from Iraq?

—David S. Hirschman