Across The Media Universe

(CBS/AP)

Breaking: Someone Has A Beef With The Media: Today it's Peter Kann, who happens to be the chairman of Dow Jones. His commentary appears in The Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal (Which is owned by the company he chairs.) Since now is the time to publish lists, Kann lists "10 current trends in the mass media that ought to disturb us." Most of them are hard to argue with, like the "exaggerated tendency toward pessimism," which can lead to somewhat unsupported conclusions that become conventional wisdom. Writes Kann: "it's one thing--and an appropriate one--for the press to probe particular instances of political corruption. It's quite another thing to jump to the cynical conclusion that our political process, and all politicians, are corrupted--that 'they all do it.' They don't, and they aren't. Skepticism and criticism are essential to the media's role; reflexive pessimism is not."

No, Not That Presidential Campaign: It isn't getting as much attention as any and all things related to the upcoming 2008 election (McCain edges ahead of Hillary in hypothetical poll question!), but in case you were wondering who got nailed for campaign violations in the 2004 elections, it's a couple of familiar organizations. The FEC announced yesterday that it settled charges against Swiftboat Veterans and POWs for Truth, MoveOn.org Voter Fund and The League of Conservation Voters. "The announcement settles charges the 527's 'failed to register and file disclosure reports as federal political' [committees], and 'accepted contributions in violation of federal limits and source prohibitions,'" writes Hotline On Call.

Paging CNN: CBS News has added two more to its ranks, both from CNN: CNNer Kelly Wallace will be joining the network in January as a correspondent based in New York City. One more CNNster, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has signed on as a contributor who will report occasionally for the "Evening News" in addition to his duties as CNN's chief medical correspondent. TVNewser notes that CBS News has a similar arrangement with CNN's Anderson Cooper, who does occasional reporting for "60 Minutes."

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