As the year winds down and the holidays gear up, media writers are producing an explosion of profiles in lieu of real news. WSJ tech writer Walt Mossberg is a god in Silicon Valley. Oddly named prominent magazine writer William Langewiesche is a very urbane writer. Dan Rather is either a crazy egotist or a moral crusader, but is definitely angry. And has-been editor of all magazines Tina Brown tells an Indian paper about herself and celebrities, her favorite subjects. Please, no more!
Spotlight: Hillary and the media
Presidential frontrunner and general terror to the media Hillary Clinton was pressed by a questioner about her thoughts on media consolidation, a touchy subject because of her nicey-nice relationship with Rupert Murdoch. She demurred skillfully. But Hillary has bigger media problems: the Drudge Report is splashing with a Times of Londonstory on rumors (for which there seems to be absolutely no hard evidence) of an affair between Hillary and her female assistant. WELCOME TO HARDBALL!
Also:
AP photographer remains in jail, mysteriously
Dubai invests in Sony, substantially
IAC expands to China.