From birthers to tea parties to town halls and – not to mention President Obama’s speech last week to school children and the background of former White House aide Van Jones – issues initially dismissed or missed entirely by the national media have burst, if only fleetingly, onto the national agenda after relentless coverage on Fox News, talk radio and in the blogosphere.

The most recent case of the divide between the right and the so-called mainstream media came yesterday when “World News” anchor Charles Gibson was caught off guard when asked about the ACORN tapes while on a Chicago radio show. Gibson added that “maybe this is just one you leave to the cables.”

“World News” EP Jon Banner tells Politico, “It’s a very different editorial process when you have 24 hours to fill as opposed to 22 minutes,” Banner said, explaining why the show hadn’t reported on the recent ACORN revelations.

“There’s no ideological filter that goes on,” says Chris Isham, Washington bureau chief for CBS News on his network’s coverage. “If it’s a good story, it’s a good story.”

“Clearly, Fox is going to be more aggressive on a story like that, initially, then other media organizations,” Isham says.

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You can also go here to listen to the whole show, which was hosted by GalleyCat editor Jason Boog and AgencySpy editor Matt Van Hoven. You can listen to all the past podcasts at Blog Talk Radio or download episodes for free on iTunes.

Click here to receive mediabistro.com’s Daily Newsfeed via email.

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It’s not as if the public ignored Obama entirely as he took questions in the East Room on Wednesday night. Indeed, 24.5 million viewers tuned in across the broadcast and cable networks. Still, that tally was the smallest prime-time audience of Obama’s presidency, dropping 50 percent from five months ago. And Fox’s decision not to air the presser paid off: The network won the 8 p.m. time slot with an episode of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

While most people—from media professionals down to the average viewer or reader—agree on the gravity of the issue, it seems health care can be complicated for pretty much everyone involved. CNBC’s John Harwood puts it this way, “It’s not only not a cable TV-friendly story; it’s not a journalism-friendly story…It’s incredibly complex to try and explain to people.” A health care solution was often listed as a top three issue for voters during last year’s presidential election, but maybe we’re finding that viewers are simply difficult to engage as that solution is developed.

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Yesterday, more of the over 500 emails have been released and Politico’s Michael Calderone has combed through some of them. Especially of note are the messages from Sunday show hosts offering forums of varying civility: CNN’s John King says he has “as sane a place as there is (I think!) in my crazy business.” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos offers a “civil forum to address this week’s events.” And NBC’s David Gregory claims Sanford will get “a fair shake from me.”

MSNBC’s David Shuster wins for sending the email that was probably the most direct:

My producers want us to do a short reader on this at $4:30pm. Have you seen the Governor since last thursday? Dis he have plans for the weekend? Anything unusual about this? The first lady doesn’t know where he is?

Let me know… I’d be happy to kill this story.

Shuster

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MSNBC president Phil Griffin describes the switch from David Shuster to Schultz. “I think doing the kind of program Shuster was doing wasn’t the right fit for that hour,” Griffin said. “I think you need a big personality to drive that hour, to compete.”

Mark Jurkowitz of the Project for Excellence in Journalism says the network “doubled down” on a liberal lineup with Schultz’ hiring, and former MSNBC anchor Dan Abrams calls it “a really smart move,” because “his tone, topics and worldview are consistent with the rest of MSNBC’s prime time.”

So far in Schultz’ first full month, MSNBC has improved 9% in Total Viewers from the prior month and 15% year-to-year. But the show is still in 3rd place. Says Schultz: “I’ve been in the arena of what MSNBC focuses on, and that’s independent progressive.”

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Yesterday, in a story about February ratings, network president Jon Klein told the AP, “Look at Campbell Brown’s show. It is all about delivering the dose of common sense and clear thinking that is necessary for a time like this, and we don’t mean clear thinking as a euphemism for our way of thinking or ideology.”

After the news about Martin’s appointment yesterday, Politico’s Michael Calderone wrote about a CNN staffer who, “said a couple weeks back that they didn’t expect Martin because he’s regarded as a partisan, while Brown’s show is billed as a non-partisan alternative to her 8pm competitors, Keith Olbermann and Bill O’Reilly.”

A CNN spokesperson put it this way to TVNewser: “Can Roland Martin — who has been a journalist for 20 years and has supported both democrats and republicans — offer common sense and a broad range of opinions when he subs for Campbell for a couple of months? Yes — watch the show in April.”

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After naming his fellow NBCU’er Rick Santelli a “worst person” on Friday, Santelli was back as part of Olbermann’s Tuesday list, in relation to his appearance on G. Gordon Liddy‘s radio show. “A rant, disconnected from the reality of most Americans,” said Olbermann of Santelli’s comments last week. Click continued to see the segment, and the “15 minutes of fame” Olbermann designated for the CNBC correspondent…

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Palin has been in the news recently for her scathing critique of the media in an upcoming conservative documentary.

FNC tells us the interview will be live, and Palin will appear via satellite from Alaska.

Although it will be Beck’s first FNC interview, Palin has appeared on his Headline News program before — in June 2008.

Click continued to see Palin’s appearance on Beck’s HLN show…

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“This was a good conservative group, and we just had a great back and forth,” he said. “And he wants to keep the dialogue going with conservatives.”

Also at the dinner were Peggy Noonan, Paul Gigot and FNC contributors Bill Kristol and Charles Krauthammer. “He is charming, he is terribly smart, bright, well-informed, he has a great sense of humor,” said Kudlow.

Meanwhile Politico’s Michael Calderone writes about a meeting today between Obama and liberal commentators. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow was among those in attendance.

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Last month it was announced King would be taking over the Sunday timeslot from Blitzer, and anchoring a block from 9am-1pmET. This Sunday will be the last “Late Edition” before King takes over the following week.

“The News King” was the choice by TVNewser readers in our poll.

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Then came an Obama news conference. Politico’s Michael Calderone reports Obama called on Laura Meckler of the Wall Street Journal, Chuck Todd of NBC and Jake Tapper of ABC. And, as Chris Matthews noted, the conference meant Todd “lost his virginity.”


Next up was the confirmation that the AP report was incorrect. Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin gave a news conference and put the ball back in the state of Illinois’ court.



Finally, Burris reappeared for a few more questions before heading back to Chicago.

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From “fist jab” to “pimped out,” from the New Yorker cover to the media coverage of the Enquirer’s Edwards story, cast your vote below:

What was the biggest media blunder of 2008?
( polls)

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“It’s a question that is not going away and he can’t, as he did in the press conference, just tell a reporter that they shouldn’t even be asking the question,” said Whitaker.

Politico’s Michael Calderone reports Obama told Chicago Tribune reporter John McCormick, “I don’t want you to waste your question,” after he asked about the IL Governor.

“Our job as journalists and the fourth estate is to press them hard, ask the tough questions,” said Whitaker. “We can’t let up on that just because these are tough times and he’s had a very successful campaign.”

Click continued to see the portion of the Obama news conference today…

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In the release, CNN announced correspondent Chris Lawrence as new Pentagon correspondent, with Jamie McIntyre, who has covered the Pentagon since 1992, leaving the network.

In an internal memo, McIntyre wrote he and CNN “were unable to reach an agreement on another assignment, so after a friendly discussion, I decided to pursue other opportunities.”

Although McIntyre wrote “CNN and I both agreed it was time for a change,” he is the latest in a series of departures at CNN since CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein told the New York Observer, “We can afford more people on our air and off our air. So, goddamn it, we’re going to have more people,” on November 18.

Since then, Miles O’Brien has left the network and the entire science, space, environment and technology unit in Atlanta dismantled, correspondent Veronica De La Cruz will be leaving the network and head of on-air hiring Henry Mauldin exited as well, among others.

> Update: Politico’s Michael Calderone has Klein’s internal memo today.

Click continued to see the full release…

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