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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Movies Get Political

From the battle between Joseph McCarthy and Edward R. Murrow, to terrorism and oil in the Middle East, the recent films coming out of Hollywood seem like a throwback to the days of the politically charged Network and China Syndrome. Just a year or two ago, Good Night and Good Luck or Syriana might have been called un-American. Not today. Steven Spielberg's Munich, which opened just a week ago, has already prompted an outpouring of reactions to its tale of Israeli revenge against terrorists who took the lives of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Why are so many -issue- films reaching the big screen? Are the issues being raised causing controversy or sparking serious discussion? Sara Terry guest hosts.Making News: Justice Department to Probe Domestic Surveillance DisclosureJustice Department officials revealed today that the agency will launch an investigation in to the leak of classified information about President Bush's domestic spying program. The announcement caps off a year in which leaks of classified information and the use of unnamed sources have made big headlines says Michael Isikoff, investigative reporter for Newsweek.Reporter's Notebook: Can Media Bias Be Quantified? When they don't like the news they read or see or hear, both the Left and the Right often claim that it's slanted. News people themselves often counter that the bias is in the eyes of the beholder. A new study claims to have objectively quantified media bias and come up with a way of ranking some of the country's best known news outlets. Will that end the arguments? Warren Olney talks with the study co-author, University of Missouri Economics Professor Jeffrey Milyo.

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By Warren Olney • Dec 30, 2005 • 1h 0m Listen

From the battle between Joseph McCarthy and Edward R. Murrow, to terrorism and oil in the Middle East, the recent films coming out of Hollywood seem like a throwback to the days of the politically charged Network and China Syndrome. Just a year or two ago, Good Night and Good Luck or Syriana might have been called un-American. Not today. Steven Spielberg's Munich, which opened just a week ago, has already prompted an outpouring of reactions to its tale of Israeli revenge against terrorists who took the lives of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Why are so many -issue- films reaching the big screen? Are the issues being raised causing controversy or sparking serious discussion? Sara Terry guest hosts.

  • Making News:

    Justice Department to Probe Domestic Surveillance Disclosure

    Justice Department officials revealed today that the agency will launch an investigation in to the leak of classified information about President Bush's domestic spying program. The announcement caps off a year in which leaks of classified information and the use of unnamed sources have made big headlines says Michael Isikoff, investigative reporter for Newsweek.

  • Reporter's Notebook:

    Can Media Bias Be Quantified?

    When they don't like the news they read or see or hear, both the Left and the Right often claim that it's slanted. News people themselves often counter that the bias is in the eyes of the beholder. A new study claims to have objectively quantified media bias and come up with a way of ranking some of the country's best known news outlets. Will that end the arguments? Warren Olney talks with the study co-author, University of Missouri Economics Professor Jeffrey Milyo.

Sara Terry is an award-winning writer and photographer, Her latest photo-documentary project is

Aftermath: Bosnia's Long Road to Peace

Recently released movies discussed in today's segment:

  • Syriana

  • Syriana

  • Good Night and Good Luck

  • Munich

  • Constant Gardener

  • North Country

Dana Priest's Washington Post article on new furor over covert CIA program

Participate.net

Congressman Randy -Duke' Cunningham, TtP on

Washington Times

Fox News

National Public Radio (NPR)

The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

'A Measure of Media Bias'

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

    NewsNationalPolitics
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