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Across The Media Universe: The "Ic" You Can't Scratch Edition

By Hillary Profita

January 30, 2007 / 12:12 PM EST / CBS News

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

CNBC Saga, Part 349: The Maria Bartiromo-Citigroup saga continues. Today's analysis comes from Slate's Jack Shafer, who highlights the Wall Street Journal's cleverly implicit coverage of the story. It and other publications are "writing around" the outright allegation that ousted Citigroup executive Todd Thomson and Bartiromo were more than just friends, writes Shafer. "Having dumped the compost, planted the seed, and fertilized and watered the earth, the Journal leaves it to nobody's imagination what species the flowering Thomson-Bartiromo friendship, relationship, and contact is without actually coming out and writing anything that 1) they can't prove and 2) invites a libel suit. This is the sort of copy a clever lawyer directs reporters to write when they "know" something but can't prove it. Leave it to the reader to assemble the meaning of the facts in their minds, the wise libel attorney tells his clients."

The "Ic" That Won't Subside: What other controversy just won't die? That's right, the "ic" factor presses on. Everyone threw their hats into the ring over whether President Bush calling the "Democratic majority" the "Democrat majority" (sans "ic") during the State of the Union address was just an oversight or an intentional snub. Now, the president has commented on the matter, to National Public Radio: "That was an oversight. I mean, I'm not trying to needle." He added: "I'm not that good at pronouncing words anyway."

Good News For Comedy Central: In a bit of news surely to boost Nielsen ratings for "The Daily Show," Nielsen research will now begin tracking what television programs college students are watching in their dorms. "Until now, college-aged students were only included in Nielsen's ranking if they didn't actually attend college, or when they were home during vacations," writes the AP. The change will probably not pose any increase in ratings for television news, since, as we all know, the kids are probably not watching it.