Panel
On November 18, 2008 IFC hosted an IFC Media Project panel event featuring legendary journalist Pete Hamill, novelist Christopher Buckley, editor and pundit William Kristol, and Media Project host Gideon Yago. It was moderated by Arianna Huffington. As a kick-off for IFC's new series The IFC Media Project and the pro-social campaign aimed at educating young adults on how to become better media consumers, the panel included a lively debate on the convergence of traditional print media and the blogosphere, the perceived definition of journalism, the integrity of the Iraq War coverage, censorship and source anonymity, and more.
Check out the highlight clips and also watch the full panel below.
Highlights
Pete Hamill thinks Bill O'Reilly is a populist and Arianna Huffington has a very pointed opinion regarding the meaning of the word populist.
Arianna Huffington introduces the Media Project Panel and asks Gideon Yago how the 24/7 nature of the news cycle has changed the way stories are broken and pursued.
Gideon Yago suggests the media does not present a true picture of the war in Iraq and Bill Kristol vehemently disagrees.
Bill Kristol and Pete Hamill go head to head about showing images of dead soldiers in Iraq.
Arianna Huffington suggests that if mainstream media suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder, then the online media world suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Christopher Buckley suggests that television news' "Breaking News" might be...broken.
"As long as they keep in mind why they're there - to try to find out what happened, or why it's happening. To do what someone once said to be about a column. Columns should have two responses: One is 'I didn't know that,' and the other one was 'I never thought about it that way.' If you get the both of them, it's like hitting one of the wall with men on bases... And i hope that the kids end up with that attitude, with that passion..."
Do TV News Pundits like O'Reilly, Maddow and Olbermann brainwash viewers? Bill Kristol and Christopher Buckley feel that viewers are too savvy for that and Gideon Yago and Arianna Huffington think the opposite.
The panelists debate the pros and cons of paying pundits like Keith Olbermann $7.5 million dollars and whether that is good for News or bad.
Allegedly Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow and Bill O'Reilly are journalists. Pete Hamill shares his thoughts on this as well as his thoughts on the blogosphere.
Gideon Yago addresses how the news has adopted the tabloid press mentality, especially pundits, and that he believes it needs a "complete re-boot," and Christopher Buckley compares Stephen Colbert and Jon Stuart to Mad Magazine.
Pete Hamill addresses recent news layoffs and that he feels these journalists will be integrated into the internet. Arianna Huffington agrees and states that HuffPo will launch an investigative fund for freelance investigative journalists and wraps up the panel.
Full Panels
Arianna Huffington
Pete Hamill
Gideon Yago
William Kristol
Christopher Buckley
