Actually, Beck Calms the Lunatic Fringe

Trouble is 'thin line' between journalism, commentary: Meghan McCain

(NEWSER) - Keith Olbermann shouldn’t have been taken to task for donating to Democrats because he’s not a journalist—he’s a commentator, argues Meghan McCain in the Daily Beast . But the kerfuffle spotlights a key issue as the lines between entertainment, journalism, and commentary blur: News outlets need to decide which category they fall into, and be clear about it. More»

(NEWSER) - It took the intervention of a PBS peacemaker to halt the bitterest media fight of the decade, insiders tell the New York Times. Bosses at Fox and at MSNBC owner GE were fed up with Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly's long-running feud—especially after they started savaging each other's networks—and proved receptive when PBS interviewer Charlie Rose spoke to chief executives Rupert Murdoch and Jeffrey Immelt about ending it. More»

Bloom is off the mouth, but Fox still sitting pretty

(NEWSER) - Glenn Beck's TV audience has plunged nearly 30% since the beginning of the year—but his Fox News home is still sitting comfortably on top of the ratings heap. Beck's continued viewership slippage was revealed in the latest audience figures on cable news operations. Fox News averaged some 1.9 million viewers in April, which beat the combined audiences of MSNBC, CNN and HLN. Fox has now led its rivals for 100 months running. And while Beck has lost some 800,000 viewers since the start of the year, he still boasts 2.1 million watchers and leads cable programs in his 5 pm slot. More»

In January overall, Fox was third most watched cable channel

(NEWSER) - "Fair and balanced" might be cause for lively debate, but Fox News' status as the top dog in cable news isn't—the network scored the top 13 programs in total viewership and the key 25-54 demographic through January. Bill O’Reilly’s show tops the rankings, with Sean Hanitty and Glenn Beck behind him. In the entire cable spectrum, last month found Fox third in viewers, behind USA and ESPN, Mediabistro reports. Its competitors fell far behind: CNN's spot was 24, and MSNBC’s 29. More»

MSNBC host fires back after Fox host calls for White House lowdown

(NEWSER) - Glenn Beck has tweeted a call for followers to dig up dirt on Obama administration figures, and Keith Olbermann aims to turn the tables, making a bid for inside info on the Fox News host himself. “Find everything you can about Glenn Beck, Stu Burguiere, and Roger Ailes,” he blogs on Daily Kos. The MSNBC host plans to set up a “dedicated email address to accept leads, tips, contacts, on Beck, his radio producer Burguiere, and the chief of his TV enablers, Ailes.” More»