News & Public Affairs

Charlie Crist hits the morning cable news listen

09/29/09 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Charlie Crist, Cover Florida, health care, Media

Governor Charlie Crist made the rounds of the cable news programs this morning . He was asked about his run for Senate, the primary battle he faces against a more conservative opponent, Marco Rubio, federal spending, and a comment he made last week. At a Republican leadership conference in Michigan on Friday, Crist predicted that President Barack Obama could lose his bid for re-election in 2012 just like Jimmy Carter did to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Today, CNN asked Crist to clarify.

On MSNB...

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Community outrage at paid program on WFLA listen

06/29/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Media, gay rights

Members of the Tampa Bay Area’s LGBT community are outraged at WFLA, Newschannel 8, for their airing a paid program Saturday night that critics say contained open hate speech against gays and lesbians.

“Speechless: Silencing Christians” is produced by the American Family Association, and is related to a similar titled book written by that group’s leader, the Reverend Don Wildmon. The hour-long show is narrated by conservative talk show host Janet Parshall.

WFLA reportedly received more...

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Deggans on media coverage of Michael Jackson's death listen

06/26/09 Mitch E. Perry

Tags: Media

The news that Michael Jackson had died broke on the entertainment news website TMZ.com, nearly an hour before other, more traditional news organizations, like CNN and the Los Angeles Times, reported the story.

Joining us to speak about the media coverage and about the performer is Eric Deggans, the media critic for the St. Petersburg Times. Eric Deggans also comes from the same city as Michael Jackson – Gary, Indiana. To read about his feelings about that, go to Eric’s blog called Th...

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San Francisco Chronicle up for sale listen

02/25/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Media, newspapers, San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Corp.

Yesterday the Hearst Corp. said it may sell or shut down San Francisco's main daily newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle.

The paper lost $50 million last year, and has been losing money consistently since 2001.The daily newspaper employs nearly 300 people on its news staff alone, and is the 12th largest paper in the country.

Alan Mutter is a former Chronicle editor and is now an independent analyst and consultant and writes the blog Confessions of a Newsosaur.

WMNF spoke with h...

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Steelers coach reflects on big win, chat with president

02/02/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Sports, Super Bowl, media, Mike Tomlin

There was a thrilling ending to last night’s Super Bowl, with the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Arizona Cardinals in the closing moments last night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

This morning, the winning coach, 36-year-old Mike Tomlin, addressed the media. He said he was humbled by the enormity of being a big part of one the most observed events in the country. Tomlin said he was a product of all the people who have taught and mentored him over his short career, including former Tam...

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Claim: Double standard still exists for female sports reporters listen

01/29/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Sports, Super Bowl, media

NBC Sports will be broadcasting the Super Bowl this Sunday from Tampa.

Along with the familiar voices of Al Michaels, John Madden, and Bob Costas will be sideline reporter Andrea Kremer.

Earlier this week, WMNF spoke with Kremer, who worked at ESPN for 17 years before becoming part of NBC’s Sunday Night telecasts in 2006. We asked if she enjoys her job, which sometimes doesn’t get a whole lot of respect from viewers and critics.

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Springsteen ready for Super Bowl performance listen

01/29/09 Mitch E.Perry
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Tags: Sports, Super Bowl, media, Bruce Springsteen, entertainment, music

Rock superstar Bruce Springsteen gave his first formal press conference in 20 years this afternoon.

The New Jersey rocker is in Tampa, where he’ll be performing in front of a huge worldwide television audience this Sunday night at halftime of the Super Bowl.

Speaking to more than a thousand reporters at the Tampa Convention Center, the media center for the Super Bowl this week, Springsteen warned reporters that he wasn’t exactly a football fanatic.

Springsteen is on a particular high...

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Creative Loafing cuts seven from staff listen

12/23/08 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Creative Loafing, media, job cuts

Tampa’s alternative weekly newspaper Creative Loafing has terminated seven full-time employees, including writer Alex Pickett, music critic Wade Tatangelo and copy editor Anthony Salveggi. Most of the paper’s local hard news coverage was done by Pickett and political editor Wayne Garcia.

Creative Loafing editor David Warner says the layoffs will not affect the paper’s news coverage.

The region’s two daily newspapers have also made sharp cuts to news staff. The Tampa Tribune announc...

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How to prepare for digital TV conversion

12/10/08 Robert Lorei
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Tags: Media, digital television, converter boxes, NAB

In two months television will switch from analog to digital broadcasting.

More than 600,000 Florida households who rely exclusively on over-the-air broadcasting – receiving a television signal with rabbit ears or rooftop antennas – will be affected when the transition takes place Feb. 17. These households will need to take steps to receive a digital television signal when all full-power stations begin broadcasting only in digital as mandated by the FCC.

Cable and satellite television ...

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Fairness Doctrine on trial at Tiger Bay listen

11/20/08 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Tiger Bay, Fairness Doctrine, Media

From its adoption in 1949 until it was repealed in 1987, the fairness doctrine required that all broadcast media address controversial issues that are of concern to the public and present contrasting points of view. Should it be brought back? That was the debate this afternoon at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club.

Jim Barrens is a community organizer and he runs a website called The Justice Factory. In part because AM radio now is dominat...

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